Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
—1 Corinthians 13:4-7

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
—Galatians 5:22-23

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Fruit: Love
By Jennifer Kane

Love is the seed from which fruit will grow,
Planted deep where the Spirit flows.
Patient in silence, steady and kind,
It bears no envy, nor eyes that blind.

It bends with grace when others break,
It lifts the fallen for mercy’s sake.
No selfish root, no hidden thorn—
Love serves in quiet, Spirit-born.

It is not loud, nor proud, nor cold,
But pure and holy, tried and bold.
Love weeps for truth, yet stands so strong—
It forgives the deepest, darkest wrong.

Love doesn’t force, nor chase, nor bind,
But knows when to speak, when to be kind.
It knows when to let go, when to stay,
When “yes” brings light, and “no” makes way.

Love shines beneath the Savior’s sun,
It lives because of what He’s done.
It shows the world the Father’s face—
The Son of Love, the gift of grace.

Though hate may rise and shadows spread,
Love walks where angels fear to tread.
It stands its ground in storms that shove—
For nothing shakes the power of Love.

So let this fruit be first and true:
A love that flows from God to you.
The rest will blossom, sure and fine—
But love must come—the first of nine.

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Scripture: 1 Corinthians 13:4-7, Galatians 5:22-23

I am doing a deep look into each of the fruit of the spirit in the coming days, so the first of the nine fruit of the spirit I am diving into is where it allllll flows from: love.

Love is more than a feeling—it is the defining mark of a life rooted in Christ. When Paul writes to the Corinthians about love, he is not describing a fleeting emotion but a powerful, active choice. This kind of love—agape love—is the kind God shows us: unearned, enduring, and sacrificial.

Love is listed first in the fruit of the Spirit for a reason. It is the soil in which the other fruits grow. Joy without love is hollow. Peace without love is temporary. Even patience, kindness, and faithfulness become distorted if not grounded in love.

Jesus said in John 13:35, “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” This love He speaks of is not based on who deserves it. It’s a love that forgives, serves, and gives—even when it’s not returned.

As we grow in our walk with Christ, love becomes not just something we do—but who we are. We become people who bear with one another in patience, extend kindness to the unkind, and give without seeking praise. We become a living picture of Jesus, who laid down His life because He loved.

This love always protects. It covers others with grace.
It always trusts—not with naivety, but with a heart that chooses to believe the best.
It always hopes, even in broken places.
It always perseveres, especially when it’s hard.

We cannot produce this kind of love on our own. But as we abide in Christ, He pours His love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit (Romans 5:5), and we begin to love like He does.

Where in your life is God inviting you to love more like Jesus today?
Are there areas where your love has grown cold or become conditional?
How can you show patient, kind, enduring love today—in action?

Today, ask the Spirit to make love your default—not a feeling to chase, but a life to live.

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Lord Jesus, teach me to love like You. Let Your Spirit grow in me a love that is patient and kind, humble and honoring. Remove pride, selfishness, and anger from my heart. Fill me instead with a love that protects, trusts, hopes, and perseveres. Break my heart for what breaks Yours, and let love be my first response. May I walk in Your love so that others may see You in me. Amen.

August 7 2025