Married With Benefits by FamilyLife

A Banana Tree Marriage
By Carlos Santiago

I knew the perfect spot for the tree. It was easy to imagine how it would look full-grown, especially since it came with a picture of bright yellow bananas attached to one of the leaves.

As I looked over the tree, I began to wonder. What if it had been mislabeled? What if I planted it, and it never produced any fruit? Or worse, what if I got a fruit I didn’t like? Just because someone hung a picture of bananas on it doesn’t make it a banana tree. It needs banana tree DNA.

The funny thing is, the same thing is true with us. Sort of.

When my wife adds one more “quick stop” after a long day or reloads the dishwasher because I “didn’t do it right,” trying to be more patient or act more kind is like tying a picture of a fruit on a tree. It might fool some people from a distance, but when you look closely the truth becomes clear. My efforts are as flimsy as cardboard, and she can see right through them.

My “DNA” is naturally selfish, and my fruit is naturally bitter. Every day, I must choose to die to myself and replace my nature with Christ’s. When I do, the fruit of His Spirit is able to follow: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

And that will make my marriage sweeter than any banana tree.

Looking for more fruit of the Spirit in your life? Listen to Jessica Thompson talk about how to get back to the true source of joy, peace, love, and change.

The Good Stuff: 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)

Action Steps: What is one fruit of the Spirit you wish you had more of in your marriage? What is one thing you can do to get closer to God today?

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