“Then God blessed them and said, "Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and govern it. Reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, and all the animals that scurry along the ground." [Genesis 1:28]

Teacher: “The Book of Genesis reports that God’s first commandment to humankind was to be fruitful and multiply.  What if it were two distinct commandments?  What does it mean to be fruitful?  Let us look at it in the light of the following statement:

“And the fruits of the divine spirit… are: loving service, unselfish devotion, courageous loyalty, sincere fairness, enlightened honesty, undying hope, confiding trust, merciful ministry, unfailing goodness, forgiving tolerance, and enduring peace.”  [UB 2054:03]

“Indeed, spiritual fruits should be grown by all to qualify themselves as responsible progenitors, as well as to establish their God-given sovereignty over their planetary environment.  Your spiritual garden plot is meant to yield a diversified crop of eleven fruits:  service, devotion, loyalty, fairness, honesty, hope, trust, ministry, goodness, tolerance, and peace.  Moreover, each of these spiritual seedlings ought to be of the highest quality, as described by their qualifiers: loving, unselfish, courageous, sincere, enlightened, undying, confiding, merciful, unfailing, forgiving, and enduring.  What an amazing cross-pollination!

“Looking at it from this perspective, you come to realize the magnitude of the Divine Plan for each life.  Yielding such a spiritual cornucopia amounts to a lifetime endeavor.  By living with increased awareness, you will develop a spiritual bounty that will beautifully position you at the starting gate of your eternal journey.  Moreover, by their innate power of attraction, you will bless many lives with your character upgrades, as they will become the building blocks for a safe and friendly neighborhood.

“Dear ones, take stock of the state of your inner landscaping project.  Which weeds do you need to pull to till the land still laying in fallow?  Which character qualities are sprouting and which ones are more advanced in their development?  Closely monitor your growth curve toward such a shining character.  Each one of you determines the timing of each harvest.  Roll up your sleeves and be mindful of each moment, keeping your focus on the rewarding task at hand.”