The Fruits of the Spirit should characterize the life of every believer to some degree. You might not function in the all the time, but that doesn’t mean that you can ignore them.

That means they are not spiritual “extras” for especially mature Christians—they are the expected evidence of a life being shaped by the Holy Spirit. Just as a tree is known by its fruit, a believer is meant to be recognized by the character of Christ being formed within them.

This also means we can’t excuse their absence by saying, “That’s just not my personality,” or “I’m more of a truth than a love kind of person.” The Spirit does not divide His character among believers; He produces His fruit in all who belong to Christ.