Fruit, when it’s fully formed, is easy to see.
It’s the end result of a long process of producing.
It begins almost imperceptibly but grows over time.
Lately, I’ve become more acutely aware of this fact of nature.
Over the next few installments, I’d like to look at fruit…of people…of businesses…of political movements…in principles, and in ideologies.
Jesus said, “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them. “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’ (Matthew 7:15-23)
I daresay in our midst are many false prophets of varied kinds.
Because fruit isn’t always visible at the outset,
sometimes it’s only time that reveals who these people are.
“By their fruit you will recognize them.” What kind of fruit do you and I produce?
When the Holy Spirit is actively producing fruit, the Apostle Paul states what it looks like. “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. (Galatians 5:22-23).
Do hating, violently protesting, vandalizing, or getting into expletive-filled arguments fit with Paul’s profile of the Spirit-filled fruit of any Christian’s life?
Should there be a “balance” of these two lifestyles … or should it be more of an “all in” or choose your side profile? (See James 3:10-18)