This devotional was created by our team as a reminder of the transformation that comes from the Bible made accessible in every sign language. We wanted to share it with you too. May it encourage you as you reflect on the fruit of the Spirit in your own life.
The Fruit we all long for
What does it feel like when someone shows you love or kindness? Or when you experience deep joy… or real peace?
We all long for those things in our relationships. And, we can see how deeply others around the world long for them too.
The Bible calls these qualities the “fruit of the Spirit” because they are produced by the Holy Spirit working in us.
Galatians 5:22–23 says: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”
In places where Scripture is still unavailable, these words carry a unique weight. They shape how we serve with love, wait with patience, act with kindness, and walk in step with God’s mission, together.
Seeing love in your language
Now imagine knowing about the love of Jesus… but never experiencing it in your language.
Never fully understanding it in your heart.
That’s why your role in this work matters.
We’ve seen Deaf individuals light up with joy when they see a passage like Galatians 5:22–23 in their own sign language for the first time.
Some recognize fruit that’s already been growing quietly in their lives.
Others suddenly understand what they’ve been longing for all along—love, joy, peace—and how the Holy Spirit brings that transformation through Scripture.
In the Dominican Republic, one of our team members witnessed the fruit of joy—as a man who was once imprisoned for murder gave his life to Jesus after engaging with the Deaf Bible behind prison walls.
That joy wasn’t situational, it sprouted from understanding the Bible in his sign language.
This is what we’re working toward:
Helping every person experience the fullness of God’s Truth in the language of their heart.
Fruit that transforms communities
Think about an apple tree. You know it’s alive and healthy when it produces apples.
In the same way, when we stay rooted in Christ, the Holy Spirit produces spiritual fruit in us, and in this movement.
As we engage with Scripture—especially when it’s finally accessible in our own language—we become like that healthy tree: Strong. Fruitful. A blessing to others.
And we’re seeing that fruit sprout in powerful ways.
In Cyprus, we’re seeing the fruit of kindness. Deaf individuals who once identified as atheists are now encountering Scripture in sign language and experiencing life transformation as they begin to follow Jesus.
In Zambia, we see the fruit of goodness. The Zambian translation team generously gave from their own limited resources to ensure that the Angola team could continue their work.
That’s what goodness, one of the Fruits of the Spirit, looks like: giving, supporting, and blessing others.
We’ve seen this in Deaf communities around the world. When Scripture becomes accessible in sign language, spiritual fruit begins to grow, not just in individuals but in entire Deaf communities.
Of course, there are moments in this work when we feel stretched, tired, or discouraged. Some days we might forget how good the fruit can be — how sweet the taste of the Holy Spirit’s work in us.
But when we pause and connect with Jesus, the fruit takes root and grows. God nurtures us as we lead with love and remain faithful.
The more we stay rooted in God’s Word, the more visible the fruit becomes in our work, our unity, and our witness.
Rooted in Christ, growing together
Let’s invite the Holy Spirit to help us see the fruit God is already growing in us and what He still desires to grow through us.
Each of us is a vessel, partnering in God’s Kingdom work.
So ask yourself:
Where is the fruit already flourishing in my life?
Where do I still need growth?
And how can I help others experience this fruit, especially by accelerating Bible translation for those still waiting to access the Bible in their language?
As we reflect, let’s also give thanks.
Because through the faithfulness of prayer warriors, advocates, and workers of the harvest
The fruit of the Spirit is multiplying.
