There’s a certain joke among Americans, especially those in the midwest, I think, regarding certain suited individuals knocking on your door. They appeal to your neighborhood, asking one simple question, “Do you have time to talk about our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ?”
You’ve been this type of Christian before, right? You’ve had a zeal for the gospel and spilled it out to whoever would listen. Maybe you’ve forced some people to listen. Maybe you didn’t have a plan beyond bringing it up. Maybe you never got past knocking on the door because you’re not sure what to say!
In my experience, I’ve been so excited about the love of God and the person of Jesus that I’ve wanted to share with others, but what comes out isn’t the love of God and the person of Jesus at all. What comes out is Bible knowledge, theology, rules, and lifestyle. Can you relate?
Too often, God reaches out to us, and we reach out to Him, and that’s the extent of it. We fail to let God reach out through us.
It’s tempting to treat the blessings of the Spirit as personal trophies: peace as a private sanctuary, joy as a moment of escape, or forgiveness as a secret relief. the Bible tells us every fruit of the Spirit is mean to flow through us, not merely be in us.
What good is love if we don’t share it? What good is peace if we fail to invite others into it with us?
Jesus said, “Freely you have received; freely give” (Matthew 10:8, NIV). The grace we experience is not the final destination of God’s goodness—it’s the launching point.
A Dead-End Heart?
As a Missouri girl, I know one thing about living in the wild, you don’t want to drink from stagnant water. If you can help it, you want to look for water that flows. Consider The Dead Sea. It takes in water but lets none of it out. It grows salty, stagnant, and lifeless. A river, though, flows, sustaining life within and without, watering plants for an entire region, creating a sanctuary for wildlife, and even recycling water from an entire shed area.
Our spiritual lives can become just like that The Dead Sea even while it could be flowing. If we take in the love of God but refuse to pass it on, something in us hardens. Our compassion withers. Our witness fades.
We can be recipients, yes–and we are–, but the Christian is much more. The Christian is a conduit.
Hoarding Fruit = Rotten Fruit
We, here in America, like to hoard things. This became evident during the COVID-19 pandemic when we flocked to the grocery stores to buy multiple packages of toilet paper. It is evident when things go on sale, and even when food or other essential items are given away for free. We like to have things and keep them too.
In Galatians 5:22–23, Paul writes, “But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.”
It’s beautiful—but also functional. Fruit isn’t for display. It’s for feeding the world. If we see fruit on a sale at the grocery store and buy too much—more than we need or can consume—then we risk ruining it all.
You’ve been given peace so you can be a peacemaker. You’ve been given joy so you can lighten someone else’s burden. You’ve been forgiven so you can extend grace to those still tangled in shame.
Every spiritual gift has a social purpose.
From Reservoir to Riverbed
Have you ever tried to produce a Fruit of the Spirit within yourself? If you’re a parent, I bet you have. You’ve probably stood in front of a mirror, tears streaking your face and repeated “I am patient” over and over.
God and the Bible are clear on this: you don’t have to produce these fruits yourself—that’s the Spirit’s work. However, once you realize you have them, you do have to choose to let them flow.
If love stops with you, it’s no longer love. If grace never leaves your lips, it’s not grace at all. The invitation is to live open-handed, open-hearted lives where the Spirit can do through us what He’s already done in us.
Don’t you want your brother to experience the grace you feel from God? Wouldn’t it be beautiful if your wayward spouse could experience forgiveness and reconciliation only accomplished through God’s work in you? Don’t your children deserve to grow up with kindness, gentleness, love, and self-control flowing out of you to them?
How to Be a Conduit Today
- Ask God to open your heart and unclog what’s been stopped up.
- Look for someone who needs what you’ve been given. Pass it on. Multiply it. Claim it and share it.
- John 15:5 reminds us that apart from Jesus, we can do nothing. The fruit flows through the branches because of their connection to the Vine. Stay connected to the Source.
The love of God is not scarce. His grace is not rationed. His Spirit doesn’t run dry. So don’t bottle up the blessings, but let them flow. Let them flood your home, your church, your workplace, and your neighborhood. Once you begin sharing these fruits with others, you’ll learn quickly just how they thrive in you. You will no longer ask yourself if you have patience, you’ll have enough to share! You won’t wonder if you can be gentle and kind. You will be.
You are not just a recipient of God’s gifts. You are His chosen vessel.
Be the river, not the reservoir. Let it flow.
*This blog post was written by Rachel Ashworth in partnership with ChatGPT 4o for organization and brainstorming.
