Fruity People

The value of spiritual disciplines is not short term.  While there may be some value today to the spiritual discipline of the morning, the real value is not known so much in the present as it is in what is to come.  Spiritual disciplines have cumulative value.  The value experienced personally is amplified as the practice becomes more a part of our lifestyle instead of just something done every now and again.  Even as habits do not create a new way of doing things overnight, so it is with these things we call spiritual disciplines.

 

It makes more sense to think of spiritual disciplines as those things which produce spiritual fruit in us.  They have a way of transforming the inner being so that outwardly something new is eventually expressed.  As we read the 15th chapter of John and hear Jesus teaching, we hear Him saying, "I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit..."  (John 15:5)  This is the season around here for realizing that fruit is not produced suddenly.  This is the season of pruning.  It is the season of watching fruit trees bud.  It is the season of watching as small nuggets of fruit start appearing.  But, it is not the season of harvesting fruit.  It is months away.  It takes time and the blessing of divine and human care.

 

The fruit spiritual disciplines produce do not show themselves suddenly.  It takes time for things like "...love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control..." (Galatians 5:22) to be produced in our lives.  Our spiritual goal is to live as one who knows the abiding presence of Christ.  Spiritual disciplines point us toward that goal, but no single act at any single time is all that is needed.  The value of spiritual disciplines is not short term.