Bear Fruit

You know, I find myself asking my friends, what does it really mean to bear fruit? Or what does that mean to you?

Now, this was after reading John 15, and I realized how we have to truly be connected to Jesus in order to bear fruit. Jesus gives this example as He is talking to His disciples. He tells them that He is the true grapevine, and the Father is the gardener.

He reemphasizes in verse five when He says:

“Yes, I am the vine. You are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.” John 15:5 NLT

I find it so beautiful how He uses this example of the growth of fruit.

Now, if you don’t know, in Galatians 5, it talks about the fruits of the Spirit, which are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

I find myself thinking: if I was to explain this to someone who knew nothing about Christ, how would I truly explain what it means to bear fruit?

So, it had me thinking. And then, of course, listening to some of my friends’ responses, the fact that stood out was that bearing fruit was all about your character.

How can love, joy, or peace blossom from someone? It’s really in how they treat others, how they act in situations and experiences that they go through. But it’s by way of the help of the Holy Spirit.

Again, in Galatians 5, it says the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives. So no matter what we are dealing with or going through, if the Holy Spirit dwells within us, we should always exhibit love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

It sounds easier said than done, right? Especially if you’re going through something traumatic, heartbreaking, or even just annoying at times. But how can you exhibit these fruits even if you’re going through something?

Hopefully, we revisit what Jesus was saying in the book of John. He explains to the disciples that we must be connected to Him, as He is the vine.

If we think about the lifecycle of a plant or a fruit, they have to be connected to the source. Their roots have to be connected to the source. A grapevine, for example, cannot produce good grapes if it is not connected to the vine; which the gardener (God) waters, takes care of, and nourishes.

So, reading John 15 just helped me understand how important it is to truly be connected to Christ. The Holy Spirit dwells within us as believers, and as we go forth in this wicked world, we have to stay connected and rooted in Christ. That way, other people will see the fruit that we produce, and they’ll begin to see Christ within us.

Take a moment to reflect with Abba Father:

1. If someone watched my life closely, would they see evidence of Christ through the fruit I produce?

2. Which fruit of the Spirit do I struggle to display the most, especially during difficult moments?

3. What areas of my life are keeping me from being fully rooted in Christ?