Lauren Appolis
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23, NIV
What God outlines as the fruit of the Spirit are essentially the characteristics of a person who walks with the Spirit of God.
Beautiful words, beautiful character traits. But difficult to maintain every day, in every season.
Lord, how do I love those who hurt me? How am I to be joyful when everything is going wrong? Is it even possible to have peace when I have so many questions? The list goes on …
In my earlier walk with Christ, I resolved to live out everything this scripture outlined. I was determined to love, but I wasn’t getting it right. I pretended to have peace while lying awake at night mulling over worries. I forced a faithful approach to everything and faced burnout as I operated at 110% in my own strength.
In my own strength.
That was the problem. These traits – love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control – are fruits: something that grows from the tree, not the other way around. A sweet, juicy apple doesn’t just appear – it is produced by the tree.
The source of these fruits is the Holy Spirit. Just like an apple cannot exist apart from the tree, we cannot produce these character traits apart from the Spirit.
This frees us from the weight of trying to love someone difficult on our own. We can love, be kind, have peace, joy, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control – not by our own strength, but because the Holy Spirit dwells within us. Just as an apple tree produces fruit naturally, the Spirit produces these traits in us.
Oh, amazing love, that God would give us his Spirit to produce these fruits and not expect it in our own strength!
God’s love and the Spirit, when we abide in him, produce beautiful fruit through his power. You are kind because you have God. You can love unconditionally because you know God. You can be faithful because he is. You can soften this harsh world with your kindness and gentleness because he equips you.
You are magnificently created to bear good, glorious fruit that blesses others and glorifies God. You are chosen. You are deeply loved, child of God.
Prayer: Thank you, God, for giving us your Spirit. Abide in me, so that I can produce good fruit that reflects your love to others. Amen.
Lauren Appolis
Die vrug van die Gees, daarteenoor, is liefde, vreugde, vrede, geduld, vriendelikheid, goedhartigheid, getrouheid, nederigheid en selfbeheersing. Teen sulke dinge het die wet niks nie. Galasiërs 5:22-23, 1983-vertaling
Wat God as die vrug van die Gees uiteensit, is in wese die eienskappe van 'n persoon wat in die Gees van God wandel.
Pragtige woorde, pragtige eienskappe. Moeilik om elke dag, te alle tye, te handhaaf.
Here, hoe kan ek diegene wat my seermaak liefhê? Hoe kan ek bly wees wanneer alles verkeerd loop? Is dit selfs moontlik om vrede te hê wanneer ek so baie vrae het? Die lys gaan aan ...
In my vroeër lewe met Christus het ek besluit om alles wat ons teksgedeelte uiteensit, uit te leef. Ek was vasbeslote om lief te hê, maar kon nie daarin slaag nie. Ek het voorgegee dat ek vrede het, terwyl ek snags wakker lê en peins oor al my bekommernisse. Ek het myself gewing om alles getrou te benader en was op pad om uit te brand omdat ek 110% op my eie krag staat gemaak het.
In my eie krag.
Dit was die probleem. Hierdie eienskappe – liefde, vreugde, vrede, geduld, vriendelikheid, goedhartigheid, getrouheid, nederigheid en selfbeheersing – is vrugte: iets wat aan 'n boom groei, nie andersom nie. 'n Soet, sappige appel verskyn nie sommer nie – dit word deur die boom voortgebring.
Die bron van hierdie vrugte is die Heilige Gees. Net soos die appel nie sonder die boom kan bestaan nie, kan ons ook nie hierdie eienskappe sonder die Gees voortbring nie.
Dit bevry ons van die las om te probeer om 'n moeilike persoon op ons eie lief te hê. Ons kan liefhê, vreugde, vrede, geduld, vriendelikheid, goedhartigheid, getrouheid, nederigheid en selfbeheersing hê – nie in ons eie krag nie, maar omdat die Heilige Gees in ons woon. Net soos 'n appelboom natuurlik vrugte dra, produseer die Gees hierdie eienskappe in ons.
Hoe wonderlik dat God aan ons sy Gees gee om hierdie vrugte voort te bring en nie verwag dat ons dit in ons eie krag moet doen nie.
God se liefde en sy Gees dra deur sy krag pragtige vrugte wanneer ons in Hom bly. Jy is goedhartig omdat jy God ken. Jy kan onvoorwaardelik liefhê omdat jy God ken. Jy kan getrou wees omdat God getrou is. Jy kan hierdie harde wêreld deur jou vriendelikheid en goedhartigheid 'n bietjie versag, want Hy rus jou toe.
Jy is op 'n wonderlike manier geskape om vrug te dra wat ander seën en God verheerlik. Jy is uitverkies. Jy word innig liefgehê, kind van God.
Gebed: Dankie Here, dat U u Gees aan ons gegee het. Bly in my sodat ek goeie vrugte kan dra wat u liefde aan ander weerspieël. Amen
Lauren Appolis
'You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. 'You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden … In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:13-16, NIV
There is nothing worse than a dish lacking salt. I have learned over the years that it doesn’t matter how many herbs or fancy ingredients you add – if you lack basic salt, the dish will be horribly bland. Not only that, but none of the beautiful flavours of the other ingredients are fully brought out.
Salt serves two main purposes: flavour and preservation. Without going into all the intricacies, it enhances food by blocking bitterness and heightening sweetness. What an incredible mineral with such transformative power!
God’s Word is filled with love letters to us – reminders of how deeply we are valued by him. Being called “the salt of the earth” by Jesus reminds us of how highly he regards us. He is saying that, as his followers, we influence the world – to counter bitterness and awaken a taste for the sweetness of Jesus.
Think about it: when something tastes good, we want more of it. When a dish is rich and full of flavour, we savour it. In the same way, Jesus says that as we walk through a world that can feel bland or bitter, we are meant to heighten others’ desire for him. What an honour! What a responsibility.
Beloved, reflecting on God’s deep love reminds us that this love anchors our identity and empowers us to advance his Kingdom. Jesus doesn’t say we might be the salt of the earth. He says we are. Present tense.
You are influential. You are different. You are needed.
Jesus warns that salt can lose its saltiness when contaminated by impurities. Likewise, we live in a world filled with influences that can dull our witness if we are not grounded in Christ.
So let us remain rooted in Jesus, allowing his love to renew our minds so that we do not conform to the world. Instead, may we live in such a “salty” way that those around us develop a greater taste for the things of God.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, what an honour it is to be loved and revered so beautifully by you. Help me to stay close to you so that I do not lose sight of who I am in you. Help me to live in a way that reflects your love and points others to you. Amen.
Lauren Appolis
“Julle is die sout vir die aarde. Maar as sout verslaan het, hoe kry 'n mens dit weer sout? Dit is niks meer werd nie. Dit word buitekant weggegooi, en die mense vertrap dit. “Julle is die lig vir die wêreld. 'n Stad wat op 'n berg lê, kan nie weggesteek word nie ... Laat julle lig so voor die mense skyn, dat hulle julle goeie werke kan sien en julle Vader wat in die hemel is, verheerlik.”, Matteus 5:13-16, 1983-vertaling
Daar is niks erger as 'n gereg sonder sout nie. Ek het oor die jare geleer dat dit nie saak maak hoeveel kruie of spoggerige bestanddele jy byvoeg nie – as die sout ontbreek gaan die gereg maar baie smaakloos wees. Nie net dit nie, maar die geure van al die ander wonderlike bestanddele gaan nie ten volle tot hulle reg kom nie.
Die doel van sout is tweeledig: geur en preservering. Sonder om dit nou in diepte te bespreek, sout verbeter kos deur bitterheid te voorkom en dit soeter te maak. Wat 'n ongelooflike mineraal met soveel transformerende krag!
God se Woord is vol liefdesbriewe aan ons – herinneringe aan hoe waardevol ons vir Hom is. Deur ons die "sout vir die aarde" te noem, herinner Jesus ons aan net hoe belangrik Hy ons ag. Hy sê dat ons, sy volgelinge, die wêreld kan beïnvloed – deur bitterheid teen te werk en die "soet smaak" van Jesus uit te bring.
Dink daaraan: wanneer iets goed smaak, wil ons meer daarvan hê. Wanneer 'n gereg ryk en geurvol is, geniet ons dit. Jesus sê dat in hierdie wêreld wat soms vaal en bitter kan voel dit ons taak is om ander se begeerte na Hom, te verdiep. Wat 'n eer! Wat 'n verantwoordelikheid!
Liewe vriende, om na te dink oor God se groot liefde, word 'n mens daaraan herinner dat ons identiteit in hierdie liefde geanker is en dat dit ons in staat stel om sy koninkryk hier op aarde te bevorder. Jesus sê nie ons kan die sout vir die aarde wees nie. Hy sê ons is. Teenwoordige tyd.
Jy is invloedryk. Jy is anders. Jy word benodig.
Jesus waarsku ons dat sout kan verslaan wanneer dit met onsuiwerhede besmet word. Net so leef ons in 'n wêreld vol invloede wat ons getuienis, as ons nie in Christus geanker is nie, kan verswak.
So, laat ons in Hom geanker bly en sy liefde toelaat om ons denke te vernuwe sodat ons nie aan die wêreld gelyk word nie. Mag ons eerder so "vol sout" leef dat diegene om ons 'n beter smaak vir die dinge van God sal ontwikkel.
Gebed: Hemelse Vader, wat 'n eer is dit nie dat U ons liefhet en na waarde ag nie. Help my om naby U te leef sodat ek nooit sal vergeet wie ek in U is nie. Help my om deur my lewe u liefde uit te straal en ander die weg na U te wys. Amen