As Joy Is My Witness
"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law." -Galatians 5:22-23
When I was working in a secular environment, people used to ask me why I seemed so happy. "I want whatever drug you're taking!" they would say. I would often just smile and reply, "Jesus!", trying to keep it light. Although I wasn't joking, I tried to get the message across in a non-offensive way, (we have so much stigma with Christianity in our culture), but I kept myself open for questions if they asked.
The cool thing about being a Christian with the fruit of the Spirit active in our lives is that it may not be words that we use to tell people about our faith. It should be evident that there is something different about us. People are done with words about Christianity that don't seem to mean anything. I love this verse in 1 Peter 3, "if some refuse to obey the Good News, your Godly lives will speak to them without any words. They will be won over by observing your pure and reverent lives." (verse 2)
Although Peter is talking to women winning over their husbands, it is still applicable to us today. To be a Christian means to be dependable, honest, consistent, and all the things that go along with being a "good" and moral person. But, the truth is that anybody can be a good person if they choose to be, no matter what they believe. The second element to complete the witness factor is the fruit of the Spirit.
Fruits of the Spirit are supernatural - and they can be active in ANY circumstance, whether good or bad. A mature Christian will naturally have the fruits of the Spirit on display in their lives: Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
Are the fruits of the Spirit active in your life? I pray that they are, so that others might see your witness and "Taste and see that the Lord is good." -Psalm 34:8
Related resource: Defiant Joy: Taking Hold of Hope, Beauty, and Life in a Hurting World by Stasi Eldredge
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