Fruit of the Spirit

O Lord, you will hear the desire of the meek; you will strengthen their heart, you will incline your ear to do justice for the orphan and the oppressed, so that those from earth may strike terror no more.  

—Psalm 10:17-18

Like Psalm 10, the Apostle Paul warned the Galatians against the sort of crass sin that separates the faithful from the faithless. Then he talked about a solution he called the fruit of the Spirit: "love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control" (Gal. 5:22-23). The law of God, the psalms, the prophets, the apostles, and our Lord Jesus himself all remind us that there are consequences for the mistreatment of the least among us But Paul reminds us that we have complete freedom to perform good deeds: "There is no law against such things."

We can always dwell on the negative aspects of our religion, and sometimes the psalms help us do just that. But during a troubled time, perhaps it's best to accentuate the positive. There are bad people out there. But I don't have to be one of them. I will endeavor to practice the fruits of the Spirit, and do my part in alleviating the fear that is currently pervading society.

Grant, O Lord, that I will both both give and receive kindness in the days ahead; in Jesus' Name, who taught me to pray: Our Father...