May 25

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, — Gal 5:22 BSB

The sum of all practical religion is love. “Love is the fulfilling of the law.” All Christian growth should lead us to become more like Christ, and His character is summed up in love. Whatever is unloving in us is unlike Jesus, and we should strive to overcome it with good.

Perhaps the average Christian doesn’t take this aspect of character and duty seriously enough. The Bible commands truthfulness, justice, honesty, and purity, but it also condemns bad temper, resentment, unkindness, and other forms of unloving behavior in those who claim to follow Jesus!