Galatians 5:22-23 states, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness, self-control.” Each item in this list is dripping with emotion. The one who possesses these and can harness them for good will lead people better. These nine “graces” represent a life indwelt and energized by the Holy Spirit. David Dockery notes, “The ethical characteristics produced by the Spirit are in sharp contrast to the natural activities and attitudes of the self-centered life.” The nine virtues are best understood in triads.
The expression of the first triad (love, joy, and peace) relates to a person’s relationship with God. The foundational triad is a spiritual category not included in emotional intelligence but required for the believer who seeks to follow Jesus faithfully. Lightfoot states, “The fabric is built up, story upon story. Love is the foundation, joy is the superstructure, and peace is the crown of all.” As the foundation, love is what the entire list is built on. The imperative is to love as one has been loved by God. This seeps into every virtue and category. For the revitalizing pastor, he will need to remind himself of the depth of God’s love for him and the church. He must draw from this well of God in times of anger and frustration with those who deny change or rebel.
The expression of the second triad (patience, goodness, and kindness) relates to a person’s relationship with others. Emotional intelligence would suggest that this triad is categorized under social awareness and management. Lightfoot notes,
This triad is again arranged in an ascending scale; μακροθυμία is passive, ‘patient endurance under injuries inflicted by others’; χρηστότης, neutral, ‘a kindly disposition towards one’s neighbours’ not necessarily taking a practical form; ἀγαθωσύνη, active, ‘goodness, beneficence’ as an energetic principle.
The expression of the third triad (faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control) relates to a person’s relationship with self. Emotional intelligence would suggest that this triad is categorized under self-awareness and self-management. Faithfulness in action is the quality of being trustworthy. The emotionally intelligent leader understands internal dialogue and manages behavior. They are “good stewards, hard workers, and disciplined.”
The fruit of the Spirit expresses the leader's emotional intelligence or lack thereof. Leading a church toward change carries with it certain dangers and pitfalls. One’s relationship with God develops the strength of love, joy, and peace to prepare a church for change. Next, patience, goodness, and kindness are relational expressions developed from social awareness and management. Finally, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control develop from self-management, as seen in emotionally intelligent people. Evaluating the presence of emotional intelligence can be addressed by reviewing the presence and strength of the fruit of the Spirit in one’s life.
