Agape at the Negotiating Table (Galatians 5:22)

Fruit, not fruits

Paul writes "the fruit of the Spirit," singular, because when the Spirit lives in you, you get the whole cluster. DeWayne doesn't mind if people say "fruits." What matters is that they're talking about it.

Four loves

Greek separates kinds of love: romantic love, family love, the fondness you have for pizza or puppies, and agape. Paul chose agape, the self-giving love God shows us. DeWayne's mom used to tell him "love thinks no evil." When someone frustrates you, remember they probably didn't plan it.

An honest question

Business is part of who DeWayne is. So he asked out loud how agape, which "is not self-seeking," works when you're negotiating an interest rate or a price across the table from an investor. He didn't claim to have the answer. He invited everyone to ask the same question about their own work.

Try this

• Put 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 on a sticky note where you'll see it.
• Pick one relationship and ask what agape would do there today.