A Path Among the Rocks

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

Galatians 5:22-23

Hello there, dear reader.  It’s been a few weeks since I last posted and I’ve missed our time together!  End of summer activities filled with sweet time away with my family have been a precious respite from an otherwise very busy summer.  I don’t know about you, but I’m ready for some cooler Fall weather and pretty leaves to view from my kitchen window.

These hot summer days remind me of Saturdays spent during my childhood at the laundromat in town.  We didn’t have a washer or dryer in those days, so our Saturdays were always spent taking clothes for seven people into town to be washed.

I loved Saturdays at the laundromat.  I loved the smells of the detergents and fabric softeners.  I remember that we used Tide detergent.  The powder form.  In a big box.  We didn’t have a lot of extra money, so fabric softener was a luxury that I don’t recall that we splurged on much, but I sure loved the smells of it in the laundromat. 

One of the things that I also loved about Saturdays at the laundromat was the popcorn machine and a soft drink machine that sold Grapette soda.  Grapette was a grape-flavored soda with lots of sugar and just enough fizz to really make your taste buds pay attention.  It was one of my favorite soft drinks and, boy, did that grape-flavored soda taste good with butter flavored popcorn on a hot summer day. 

Now, the thing about that grape soda and the popcorn at the laundromat was that we didn’t have the money to buy those delicious snacks every Saturday.  We were only there to wash our clothes and didn’t have extra money for extra things no matter how good they tasted. 

Except, there was Mr. Willard.    

Mr. Willard owned the laundromat, or perhaps worked there.  I don’t remember those details, but what I do remember was that he was there every Saturday making that popcorn and filling up the soda machine with Grapettes.  Mr. Willard would give me a soda and a bag of popcorn most Saturdays.  My mother would gently protest, as all mothers do, that I didn’t need those snacks, and Mr. Willard would always say, “that’s ok – it won’t hurt a thing for her to have some.” 

I have no idea how much popcorn and how many soft drinks Mr. Willard gave away to poor kids like me who had no money to spend in the machines.  He surely could not have made much profit given how much he gave away, but he never seemed to be bothered about it.  In my childhood memory, he always seemed to be happy and he whistled songs a lot. In my memory, he was always full of joy.

I thought about that as I read today’s verse describing the fruit of the Spirit.  You see, Mr. Willard’s kindness was something that he chose to extend because he wanted to.  He didn’t have to do any of those things.  He didn’t have to give anything away – it was a business after all.  But that small act of kindness stayed with me, and over fifty years later, that’s still one of my favorite childhood memories. 

It doesn’t take a lot to leave a lasting impact on people with whom you come in contact, even if it’s only for a brief moment in time.  An act of kindness.  A gentle spirit in a harsh environment.  That’s the wonderful gift that Jesus gives to us as believers.  The gift of the Holy Spirit and the fruit that comes along with it when we abide in Him and allow the Spirit to move and lead us to serve others, love others, pray for others, be a light in a dark place for others.  Extend forgiveness to others, even if they haven’t earned it.

As we head into this new season, I pray for us all that we would commit to learn more and more about the abiding presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives.  As we surrender more and more of ourselves to Jesus’ lordship over us and we are abiding in Him, this fruit—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control—will overflow out of us and into someone that needs it. 

You never know when someone’s life could be changed for the better just by giving them a Grapette and a bag of popcorn. Take it from me, small acts of kindness can impact someone for a lifetime.

Proactive:  Ephesians 4:32 – Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you. 

Defensive:  Psalm 26:3 – For Your steadfast love is before my eyes, and I walk in Your faithfulness.

Promise:  John 15:5 – I am the vine; you are the branches.  Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.