SCRIPTURE:  See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone. 1 Thessalonians 5:15 ESV

THOUGHT: Doing good to one another and to everyone, always, definitely requires some fruit of the spirit, wouldn’t you say? Goodness, itself, is a fruit of the spirit. But I was thinking of how good, old-fashioned self-discipline plays into the matter. And no one ever seems to talk about long-suffering, except when it comes to God. Interesting, huh? I think it must be one of the less desirable fruits, maybe akin to something called ugli fruit, which is not really as ugly as it sounds, and packed full of nutrition. Good for us, just like long-suffering.

Our knee-jerk human reaction is to want vengeance when we’ve been wronged. The passionate longing for justice isn’t wrong, it’s actually part of the way we’re wired. It just becomes wrong when we think we know how to get it without “bothering” God. What God wants us to get is fruit called spiritual self-discipline and long-suffering, and leave the vengeance up to him.

PRAYER: Oh God, I pray you would grow more fruit of your Spirit in me. Thank you for the many chances to not repay evil for evil, and how it shows me my need of you. And thank you for how your own character is filled with self-discipline and long-suffering. Help us leave vengeance in your hands and seek good and do good to one another and to everyone.