When I hear the scripture…
So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit
…I think of the idea that we are meant to have “good fruit” and the good fruit is the kindness and love that we are to show people. It means having a good attitude and being nice to people. Think about it. If we were to be like Christ, we would think that the character of Christ would be paramount. I know that there is a lot of truth to that. However, recently I was challenged in that thought.
I was listening to a podcast. One of the hosts talked about plants and, more specifically, the fruit that comes from that plant. He said that plants produce fruit for the sole purpose of reproduction. The plant knows that, while on this earth, it is meant to grow into a plant that is mature. It is to produce fruit that contains a seed that would bear the makeup of itself and reproduce its own likeness. This was such a big thought to me.
What I heard in that podcast was that good fruit would, to a certain degree, need to look right and taste sweet. BUT the true importance of the fruit is that it would contain a viable seed. A seed that would be able to be planted and produce another plant with the ability of producing its own plant that can bear more fruit and so on.
When I hear about the great commission…
Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,
…this is good fruit! To go and reproduce yourself with what God, through Christ, has done in you! People might say, “but what about the fruits of the spirit? Aren’t they meant to reside in you?”
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.
Yes, these fruits are meant to be in you. Not for the purpose of you having a good life. These are the tools to produce fruit that will duplicate itself. So many times, we think about these fruits for self-preservation, when God meant them to be used as the vessel of the seed - to make more believers in Christ. We are to be duplicating ourselves, bringing eternal life to the lost, for the glory of the kingdom of God!
When we think about “good fruit”, let us remember it’s not just what we put out there, it’s about making more followers.
So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit
This might mean that a good tree is not just one that looks right, it is one that can produce fruit that can reproduce. So go… have good fruit… share your faith… make more followers.
Rene Solis Director of Koinonia School of Ministry
No comments:
Post a Comment