It seems that for some things I learn best by watching. As a pastor, I didn’t learn about kindness in a seminary class or from a text book. I learned by watching my wife. She never said, “David, you need to be more kind,” although she could have. She just was kind. Seeing kindness is a wonderful way to learn, and maybe that’s why Paul mentions it.
Galatians 5:22-23 describes what humans are supposed to look like. Praying through the fruit of the Spirit can be a challenging exercise. When I do, I see just where I am in my Christian growth, and I often see a subject for more prayer. But the encouraging part of this exercise is knowing that the fruit of the Spirit is who I am—who we are! Asking the Lord to show me places in my daily life where I can exercise them is a joy in itself. It leads us to being the church in the world.