Read: Galatians 5:22-23 NRSV
By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against such things.
God has provided a model of how we should live in Jesus Christ. In all things we can turn to him for guidance in our interactions with friends, strangers, enemies, and family. And even though Jesus himself was never a spouse or a parent, God shows us how to live through the rest of the holy family. This week we have looked specifically at Joseph and how his obedience furthered God’s perfect plan, even if he could not understand his role. God could have chosen anyone as Jesus’ foster father, but I think it’s likely that Joseph was chosen because he is a template for us: a humble man, obedient to God, and filled with the fruits of the spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
Those specific character traits aren’t meant to be read as a bland list of vaguely honorific terms, they are a description of a spirit-filled person. When we are obedient to God, he makes his spirit visible in us through our love, patience, etc. Understanding the character of Joseph as a father, husband, and man is vital in comparison with our own character. Our society does not emphasize the same list of virtues as Paul does here in Galatians. Do we value gentleness or toughness? Self-control or “giving him a piece of my mind?” Peace or “us vs them?” Examining how Joseph responded to the unique challenges of his own life and societal pressures can and should be a lesson to all of us, and men in particular, in how to live a spirit-filled life.
