Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
This passage is familiar, but like our word from yesterday, the last quality on the list - temperance, seems to be "last on the list", not so important, a thing of the past. Many who remember it at all think only of abstaining from alcohol. Again, it is far more, and it is far from an afterthought at the end of the list. It is most often now translated "self-control," but really has the sense of "balance." It means reaching a place where one is not carried away by excess, while at the same time coming up lacking for passion. It is the ability to resist temptation on one's own, yet realizing one's dependence upon God and others for a full life. If there is any reason at all that we find it at the end of the list of the Fruit of the Spirit, it is that it is a virtue which takes time and determination to develop. What kind of balance have you achieved in your life?
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