Leadership and the Fruits of the Spirit

“The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such there is no law.” (Galatians 5:22-23)

Probably the most memorable verses in Galatians are those that list the ‘fruits of the Spirit’. Fruit grows from planted seeds. Every leader should embrace this list of inward qualities. Evaluate yourself against them:

Love - is my leadership motivated by love for people?
Joy - do I exhibit an unshakable joy, regardless of life’s circumstances?
Peace - do people see my peace and take courage?
Patience - do I wait patiently for results as I develop people or goals?
Kindness - am I caring and understanding toward everyone I meet?
Goodness - do I want the best for others and the organisation?
Faithfulness - have I kept my commitments?
Gentleness - is my strength under control? Can I be both tough and tender?
Self-Control - am I disciplined to make progress towards my goals?

Source: Maxwell, John.C (2003) Leadership Promises for Every Day p338