In our house there is a morning ritual that consist of blending a delectable mix of fruits that taste so good it would make your tongue rise up and do jumping jacks. We put our own little touch of flavor to make the perfect smoothie for our palate. My son calls them juicy’s and if you ask him he could tell you what goes in them. We add a pinch of cinnamon, vanilla flavoring, honey and goat’s milk yogurt. Blending is a spirit thing in our house and it takes special ingredients to make it happen.
On occasion juicy bits of wisdom will come from the mouth of my two year old son. One morning for breakfast I took a shortcut on making the smoothie and gave my son the juicy that we blended the day before. It wasn’t fresh but I didn’t think he noticed the switcheroo. But then he ask the burning question that is seared into my brain forever “Hey daddy, Is this my juicy, where is the blender?” He knows that when it’s used I normally leave it out but not this time. I cheated. We are big believers of the Magic Bullet but this innocent question became an instant lesson on blending of a different sort. It had nothing to do with magic but was an inner working of the Holy Spirit.
God was about to give me a refresher course on how to rely on Him to blend the fresh fruit of the Spirit in my own life. Where is the blender? This question was a reminder of Galatians 5 and how it talks about the nine attributes of the Spirit. They consist of love, joy peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control. Notice how love comes first. Back to that in a sec. A few of these spiritual traits I have been able to be consistent on but an overwhelming thought for me has always been how do I maintain all of this fruit and then somehow manage to mix it all together? Over the years I have compiled a mountain of self-made recipes that reek of rotten fruit and my own self-righteous works. And when I put it all together It just doesn’t taste right. What if I unplugged my own broken blender and let God step into the kitchen to sir things up a bit? In his desire to work through us He would churn out a blender of blessings that would spring forth His fruit to a thirsty world. He is our great spiritual alchemist who will lovingly but painfully remove those ingredients that doesn’t belong. I see Him as the great blender of the universe.
THE JESUS BLEND
So we know that God has given us the fruit it takes for a perfect mixture of grace. I’ve also learned that His supernatural spirit blend doesn’t involve anything I add to the mix. As I said in the beginning, at home we like putting our own little twist of flavor in the smoothies we make. But when it comes to the fruit of the spirit it’s best to let Jesus do the bartending. This is no fun when you know what it takes for all of these spiritual attributes to come together. It involves the master shake builder who turns out a sensitive and spirit filled warrior for Him. It involves spinning, chopping, churning and the breaking down of our own ego and self inflated sense of who we are. The blending cup of bitterness that we create will only act as a barrier for true peace and unity
It is attainable to possess all nine of these traits but one trait is completely essential to get the spirit juices flowing. Without it anything you say or do will only divide. The first fruit of the spirit mentioned in Galatians is Love and maybe there is a reason. Jesus knew the importance of love and became the very definition of the word. During his battle with the scribes, He was accused of being a devil that cast out devils. Jesus knew He would be hated and chastised but His love was a force that could not be moved. In Mark 3, He tells the scribes that a house divided by itself cannot stand. This speaks to the human nature and how it spews out a baron and fleshy blend of unsavory fruit that pollutes the very gospel that God has ordained to be a sweet taste of grace for the world.
“And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling aroma.
Ephesians 5:2
We live in a broken world of flawed people and ever since man took a bite of that forbidden fruit we have been fighting against the fall. However, there is a recipe for redemption and it is written in a book who’s pages drip with the sweet nectar of His guiding spirit. His love covers me and joy floods my soul with peace like a river. I patiently wait with ease, as the winds of kindness blow. Goodness follows my name. For you are faithful to me and I to you. Gentle is the hand that leads me and all is under control. The harvest has come and the bountiful fruit is ready as it awaits in baskets of glory for the Father. I hear the sound of a child rise from the earth to the Heavens. Then the sweetest voice speaks. Lord I’m ready. Where is the blender?”
Kyndlsoul 