Notice three things about fruit:
First, fruit is visible. Remember the 'show and tell' method of learning in school? James writes: 'Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works' (James 2:18 NKJV). It's not enough to 'talk a good game,' you must 'live it' before others every day.
Second, fruit reflects the character of the tree on which it grows. If it's an apple tree it's going to produce apples. The more you submit your life to Christ, the more like Him you'll become.
Third, fruit is always borne for someone else's benefit. You'll never see fruit chewing on itself, or saying, 'I don't want to be picked.' Good fruit makes someone hunger and reach for it. The Holy Spirit wants to produce fruit in you so that others can feed off you and be nourished. In contrast, all deeds of the flesh are selfish. The flesh says, 'You made me mad. I'm not happy. You have what I want. You are irritating me.' But the fruit of the Spirit is Christ-centred and others-centred. Notice, the word 'fruit' is singular, even though Paul lists nine different kinds of spiritual fruit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control, but they all come from the same tree. This tree can produce everything you need for every area of your life. You don't have to go to the Holy Spirit for peace, and some other place for love. Or go to the Holy Spirit for patience, and somebody else for self-control. It's all on the Spirit's tree. So, are you bearing fruit?
"The Word for Today", Bob Gass. Tuesday,
December 29th, 2009. New Zealand
