The Fruit of the Spirit

The book I am currently reading is "Shattered Dreams" by Larry Crabb.  Today, I want to share with you a fairly big quote from this book that I found extremely profound.  This quote from page 81 of his book very aptly describes the love of Jesus Christ for us all.  Even more importantly, it describes the hope that He must have developed in the face of much, much opposition, rejection and hurt. 

     Jesus believed God with absolute trust in His Father's goodness.  Jesus loved God (and us) at any cost to Himself.  His faith and love were sustained by His hope in what He knew lay ahead.  The happiness that anchors our soul and keeps alive our passion for God's vision comes from the faith and love that spring from that hope.  And this is why in Jesus, spiritual fruit was always ripe----"love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithrulness, gentleness and self-control" (Galations 5:22-23).
     Imagine yourself

• loving a rejecting spouse, a prodigal child, a critical or pushy friend.
• radiating joy in a cancer ward, as a patient.
• knowing peace during a financial catastrophe.
• exhibiting patience in the most tryhing circumstance at work.
• being kind to a needy neighbor when you'd rather do anything but.
• releasing the goodness of God's nature when your nature is screaming for someone to be good to you.
• faithfully following your call to serve when your only results are more weeds
• gently responding to someone who undermines or demeans you.
• exercising self-control by not succumbing to a temptation after a severely disappointing day.

Folks, don't wait to see my review before you make up your mind to get this book. The wisdom and correction that I have received from this page alone is well worth the price.  This page of this book will be the one that gets the most viewing for me.  Wow!  How correctly he nailed what a true believer in Jesus Christ should seek to be like.  Mr. Crabb, I salute you, sir.  May God continually bless you with all of His abundance and goodness.
If anyone knows of any rights I have violated by reproducing so much of his wonderful book, let me know and I will pull this article.  If this is any indication of what lies in the rest of the book-----Holey Mackerel.