“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control…” — Galatians 5:22-23
On the trail, you can’t tell a tree’s health from the root system, which is buried. But its appearance above ground tells the true story. If the branches sag, and the bark shows splits and cracks, the tree is likely in trouble. Fruit, if it appears, tells the rest of the story. No tree argues about its condition. It reveals it.
Men, however, are skilled at managing their appearance.
Men are judged by their calling, leadership abilities, and their influence on others. Many churches measure growth in numbers, output, and visible impact. But Galatians 5:22–23 changes the conversation. The Spirit’s fruit is not popularity. It’s not productivity. It’s not how many men attend your group or how well you speak in a room. The fruit is love. Joy. Peace. Patience. The kind of qualities no man can fake for long.
Here’s what often goes unsaid: public ministry can outpace private formation. A man can build something visible while neglecting being rooted in Christ. He can teach peace while living restlessly. He can preach patience while simmering at home. Eventually, the trail exposes what the root has been feeding on.
Fruit never lies. It always reveals the root system beneath the surface.
application
If fruit reveals the root, then the question is not, “How do I try harder to be patient?” The better question is, “Why am I so impatient with others?”
If your roots are comparison, performance, and control, then you’ll bear envy, anxiety, and tension. We blame our attitudes and actions on personality when it’s actually the fruit of a root we have tolerated for years.
We’re not told in Galatians 5 to manufacture fruit. God’s Spirit is the source. That means formation is not behavior modification; it is surrender at the root level. On the trail, you wouldn’t tie apples to a dying tree. You examine the soil, the water, the light.
Men resist addressing their identity. They would rather adjust their habits. The Spirit works on what we have below ground. He exposes what we’ve buried. He invites us to abide rather than strive.
When rooted in Christ, fruit grows steadily, quietly. Love becomes less reactive. Patience stretches longer. Self-control strengthens without announcement. At first, the trail may look the same to others, but the root system has deepened.
Live it out
This week, pay attention to your reactions. Frustration, control, impatience—they are fruit revealing a root. Instead of defending them, trace them. Ask the Spirit what is feeding your soul. Strengthen the root through time in Scripture and honest prayer, and let better fruit grow naturally.
pray this…
“Father, Reveal the roots in my life that are producing bad fruit. Help me produce the fruit of the Spirit.”
Photo by Tulsi Makwana on Unsplash
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Information lays the foundation—
Practice builds the man.
