Cultivating Fruit in the Bathroom Line (07/27/2926)

Recently, I was watching an HGTV special as a couple went through different homes in search of the perfect one. And a big item for them was the number of bathrooms. And I caught myself talking out loud to the television screen, “More isn’t always better.” I couldn’t help it. I cultivated patience waiting in the bathroom line. Why would they want to rob their children of that opportunity?

I am one of six children. Our family of eight had one bathroom with a shower/tub combo, a stool in the corner, and a single sink with a surrounding counter about six inches deep. Every day, we all had to cooperate with one another, wait for one another patiently, sometimes trying to negotiate slots. Truth be known, it is the reason I am as patient as I am. Practice!

I learned early that the Spirit provides the fruit of patience, but it is up to each of us to cultivate that much needed fruit through intentional daily choices. I learned the wisdom of dropping everything when the urge first materializes and not waiting too long only to arrive at the bathroom door and find it closed and locked. I learned that being suspended in a circling “pause” outside that door didn’t necessarily increase my patience, but it did increase my incentive to not put things off. And when all else was failing, I learned the role of prayer in cultivating the Spirit’s fruits. “Lord, help me hold it!” does work most of the time.

When I was growing up, I didn’t know that what I thought was an inconvenience was actually character building. But now I know. And I’ve tried to expand it beyond patience. The Holy Spirit’s fruits are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. And over the years, I have recognized the ways I am called to cultivate those fruits through the moments of life, through intentional choices, through prayer. And the last thing I’ve learned about the fruits is that it is a life-long endeavor, cooperating with the loving Spirit who is trying to help me live a life connected to God and not marred by selfishness.

Until tomorrow, let us all love well.