eating fruit

I was challenged by a thought the other day and so wanted to expand on it.
The thought was this, trees do not eat their own fruit, fruit is meant to be shared.

My personal challenge was this. When it comes to "the fruit of the Spirit" I think many times I want the aspects of that spiritual fruit to be true of my life. I think many times I stopped there. That the list of things that should be generated in my life because of my relationship with God, are there not for me it for others.

I was corrected a long time ago over the thought that the fruit of the Spirit are multiple fruits. The Spirit is one fruit with multiple aspects or characteristics.the characteristics of God's fruit in my life are there because of the seeds that he plants to my spirit.over time those seeds bear the fruit of the spirit which involve a variety of wonderful and positive things.

I must admit my picture of that is usually stuck on that concept that the fruit is mine. All those characteristics are things that should be in me. And when I stop there .....in reality I am saying all those characteristics are also for me.
I need to correct my vision regarding the fruit of the Spirit.

The fruit that I produce as a result of my relationship with God the seed that he is planting, or planted within me. That fruit should be able to be enjoyed by anyone who comes by my tree. It should not matter who they are or they came from or what their belief system is. When they walk by my tree they should be attracted to the fruit that hangs there.When somebody picks that fruit and has the opportunity to taste that fruit they should be overwhelmed with the variety of positive aspects/characteristics that the fruit possesses.
And like any good fruit, they should want more. I know for me that is true when I run into people who bear the fruit of the Spirit in their lives. I like being around them . I want to be around them as much as I can. They produce a fruit that I enjoy eating. That should be true of any one who tastes my fruit as well.

I think God makes it pretty clear that we are to grow and produce wonderful fruit in the same place or all along side those who are producing ugly fruit. By ugly I don't necessarily mean those who don't have a relationship with God. Because many of those who know God still produce ugly nasty tasting fruit.
But if we can, as we should produce excellent fruit filled with the characteristics that God wants, right alongside nasty fruit, then I believe not only are we producing what God wants but we are where God wants us as well.

I think that makes sense, at least it does to me,

for now.