A number of songs came to mind as I thought about each of the first three fruit of the Spirit (love, joy, and peace), but I drew a blank in terms of songs with patience or kindness in their title or opening words. I recognize this may simply stem from a fault in my memory. However, a quick glance at the index of a hymnal as well as some internet searches did not reveal any songs that I had forgotten. That search led me to discover that there was a song released in 2023 by the musician Jonathan Ogden called “Patient & Kind” that is described as “An indie / folk rock song about the character and nature of God, and the freedom found in walking with Him.” I’m guessing there are some others out there that mention patience and/or kindness in them, so feel free to let me know any that come to your mind.
While there may not be any songs out there about patience and/or kindness, there is a famous passage of Scripture besides the list of the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22-23 that mentions them together. The “love chapter” of 1 Corinthians 13 says that “love is patient, love is kind” (13:4). I think the reference to these qualities offers us some important insights into the fruit of the Spirit as a whole as well as these particular qualities.
The Interconnectedness of the Fruit of the Spirit
Not only does 1 Corinthians 13 mention patience and kindness back-to-back and in the same order as they appear in Galatians 5:22-23, but it also links with the first word that appears among the fruit of the Spirit: love. This is a reminder that the fruit of the Spirit are not nine independent traits but ones that are interconnected. Thus, we can’t view this list as one in which we can have one but not the others nor that we can grow in one area alone; one cannot have love or grow in love without also having or growing in patience and kindness. In turn, when growing in patience and kindness, it is also a way in which we grow in love. While I think there is value in studying each element individually in the list of the fruit of the Spirit, we need to remember to never isolate them from each other but to also look for ways that they are connected to one another.
The Incomprehensive Nature of the Fruit of the Spirit
The fact that patience and kindness appear in this description of love alongside other qualities – some of which are not on the list of the fruit of the Spirit – I think is also a good reminder that the fruit of the Spirit is not an exhaustive list of qualities that Christians should have through the working of the Spirit in their lives. In being labeled “the fruit of the Spirit,” these qualities should be found in each Christian, but there are also other qualities that are to appear in our lives. Confirmation of that reality is that the exact list of the fruit of the Spirit does not appear anywhere else in the Bible. In addition, other places that include some of the fruit also include other qualities not listed among the fruit of the Spirit; for example, Colossians 3:12 includes gentleness (one of the fruit of the Spirit) and humility and compassion (which are not on the list). There might be a particular reason tied to the context in Galatians that Paul pulls out these nine qualities, wanting to place special emphasis on them.
The Illustration of the Fruit of the Spirit
While patience and kindness are included in both the list of the fruit of the Spirit and in the “love chapter,” there is a difference in their forms that is worth highlighting. The fruit of the Spirit is a list of nouns and thus we can say it is a list of qualities. However, 1 Corinthians uses the verb forms of patience and kindness and is thus a list of actions rather than of qualities; it is not what love is but rather what love does. This verbal quality of 1 Corinthians 13 is not clear in most English translations because we don’t really have verbs for patience and kindness; perhaps a better way to make this clear would be to translate 1 Corinthians 13:4 as “Love shows patience, love shows kindness.” I raise this grammatical issue not because I think it presents any sort of contradiction in meaning nor negates the link between the two passages, but rather because it serves as a good reminder that the qualities listed in the fruit of the Spirit are reflected in actions; one knows if he or she has this fruit in their lives if these qualities are illustrated in their actions.
The Interaction of These Two Qualities of Fruit of the Spirit
The linking of patience and kindness in 1 Corinthians 13 and here in the fruit of the Spirit shows that there is a particular connection between these two traits and may point a bit to the particular focus of the word “patience” here. While there are many commands in the Bible upon the need to wait for things – such as God to work or move in a certain way – another element of patience is tolerating and enduring frustrating or annoying people. While I guess both elements could be in mind here, I think there is definitely an element of being patient with people – especially considering how patience and kindness are paired together here and in other parts of Paul’s letters (1 Corinthians 13:4; Colossians 3:12). Patience involves not biting back at people while kindness involves doing things that are helpful and beneficial to others even when it is not reciprocated.
The Initiator of These (and All) the Fruit of the Spirit
Not only are patience and kindness in the list of the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5 and the description of love in 1 Corinthians 13, but we also find these qualities often attributed to God. This should not be surprising, as “God is love” (1 John 4:8) and these fruit come through the work of the Holy Spirit. Romans 2:4 reminds us that God’s patience and kindness is meant to lead us to repentance and is not something to be despised or mistreated. The way that we show our appreciation for God’s patience and kindness to us is thus by displaying these traits, through the power of the Holy Spirit, to others in hopes it would lead others into repentance and thus salvation. The Holy Spirit did not just inspire Paul to offer us this list of the fruit of the Spirit but also produced these qualities in his life to commend the gospel message to others, as these two qualities – patience and kindness – appear in the list of qualities characterizing Paul’s ministry that he hopes will lead the Corinthians (2 Corinthians 6:3-13) to open their hearts to him and to the message he brings to them. May these qualities also characterize our lives so that others may grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus – and thus grow in patience and kindness as well.
Questions about the Bible or theology? Email them to Pastor Brian at Theology@WeAreFaith.org. You can also email to be added to the list that receives weekly emails with our blog posts.
