Like a city whose walls are broken down is a man who lacks self-control. Proverbs 25:26

Without self-control, we are broken down. We slip into temptations of all kind, whether sexual, prideful, or greedy.

As Paul told Timothy, terrible times in the last days will be marked by this:

People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, rash, lovers of pleasure, rather than lovers of God—having a form of godliness but denying its power. 2 Timothy 3:2-5

Wow! Quite a list of bed-fellows that nestle with lack of self-control. So different from our wonderful fruit-of-the-Spirit list.

Sometimes its easier to see what a certain characteristic is like by examining the opposite. Consider the obese person who does not control eating habits, the business man who submits to working all hours to the neglect of his family, the woman who will not control her spending habits, or the young person who refuses to give up unhealthy relationships.

On another level, we may picture those who lack self-control to be the ones who beat their wives out of insane jealousy or the married office worker who brazenly flirts with the married secretary which leads to an affair. We my think of the person who has ongoing fits of anger which lead to road rage or the woman who drowns her cares in a drunken stupor or a life of drug abuse.

All of these speak to lack of self-control from something negative. That certainly is a part of the definition, but let us also think of having self-control toward something positive. As we think back through the fruit—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, and gentleness—all require self-control toward these positive qualities.

“Temperance,” the King James Version calls it. “Able to marshal and direct our energies wisely,” The Message puts it. 

Peter says that the way we escape the corruption of this world is to:

…make every effort to add to your faith goodness, and to goodness, knowledge, and to knowledge, self-control… 2 Peter 1:5-6

Following these same building blocks, he adds on to self-control, perseverance and godliness, brotherly kindness, then love. Like the fruit of the Spirit, it all goes back to love. Over and over, Jesus taught us to love.

One last thing I want us to ponder. I remember a teacher who mentioned that it is not the “fruits” of the Spirit that we are given, but the “fruit.” We aren’t to pick and choose which one we would like to have today nor do we have to settle for just one. The Spirit wants to give them all abundantly and overflowing.

Of course, we must be willing and active recipients. It takes self control to abide in the vine that nourishes us. The giver is ready. We, as receivers, must initiate our self-control.

Finally, I know we aren’t perfect. We will fail, we will falter, we will get lazy. But let us desire that fruit so much that we draw closer and closer to what He has for us—the sweet fruit of the Spirit.

Stay tuned for the next shorter series—tax collectors!

~ Joyce ~