The Orchard of the Spirit

In several places the Bible uses "fruit" as a metaphor for the outer works that reflect our inner hearts. Perhaps the best-known such passage is Galatians 5:22-23: "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."

Weeds grow without any human assistance; but most healthy, delicious fruits are carefully cultivated, tended, and fertilized. With some fruits, such as apples, planting a seed will not even ensure the resulting tree will bear fruit that tastes like the parent; gardeners have to graft already fruitful twigs onto existing trees to ensure the right variety of apple. Grafting was already widely used in New Testament times (see Romans 11).

Just as we are grafted into God's tree of life from which we receive spiritual nourishment, He grafts the nature of His Spirit into us so we can bear godly fruit.

The orchard of the Spirit bears a fruit that's called Love,
And those in whom it's growing are blessed from above.

The orchard of the Spirit bears a fruit that's called Joy,
And those in whom it's growing no pain can destroy.

The orchard of the Spirit bears a fruit that's called Peace,
And those in whom it's growing see all fretting cease.

The orchard of the Spirit bears a Patience as fruit,
And those in whom it's growing take strong, sturdy root.

The orchard of the Spirit bears a fruit that's called Kind,
And those in whom it's growing put hard hearts behind.

The orchard of the Spirit bears a fruit that's called Good,
And those in whom it's growing will live as they should.

The orchard of the Spirit bears a fruit that's called Faith,
And those in whom it's growing will live in God's grace.

The orchard of the Spirit bears a fruit that's called Meek,
And those in whom it's growing the Father will seek.

The orchard of the Spirit bears a fruit, Self-Control,
And those in whom it's growing our Lord will make whole.

We are trees of the Spirit, whom He calls to bear fruit;
Though blossoms may seem fragile, yet deep is the root.