Thanks for the Fruit!

Dec 6 2024 - Eric Buresh

This is a note to me and to all those who spend too much of their time frustrated by their spiritual mistakes and not enough time enjoying their spiritual successes. In Luke 6:43-45, Jesus tells us that every tree is known by its fruit, and that our words/deeds are the fruit that shows what kind of tree lies at our heart. Jesus, in His matchless wisdom, often drew His lessons from the simplest scenes of life. A tree and its fruit is a metaphor so plain that even a child can grasp it. No one expects to find sweet figs on a thornbush, nor juicy grapes on a bramble. The fruit tells the tale of the tree. In the same way, the character of our lives is revealed by the fruit we bear. 

Now, if you are inclined as I, you may hear these words and feel a pang of sorrow or frustration. “Oh,” you say, “I fear that my fruit is not as it should be. I see more thorns than figs, more brambles than grapes.” And indeed, when we are honest with ourselves, we will all admit that we have a lot of bad fruit at times. Yet, Jesus’ metaphor is not meant to drive us to despair but to point us to the evidence of God’s work within us. 

If you see any good fruit in your life—any sign of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, or self-control—know that this is the work of the Holy Spirit in you. You did not graft this fruit onto yourself, nor did you force it to grow. It sprang from the new nature God has given you in Christ. When we see such fruit, let us not dismiss it with false humility, but rather, let us enjoy it and give thanks to the Gardener who has so graciously tended our souls to produce it. 

Ah, but my heart protests, “What of the bad fruit? What of the bitter words, the selfish deeds, the moments of anger and pride?” Do not ignore these – indeed, confess them -- but do not let them overshadow the good that God is working in you. Even the best trees have seasons when the fruit is sparse or less sweet than it should be. The presence of bad fruit does not mean the tree is corrupt, but rather that it needs continued care and pruning. 

Here is a key that I remind myself of pretty much daily: Jesus did not come to save good trees. He came to make bad trees produce good fruit. He took us, wild and barren, and grafted us into Himself, the true Vine. If today you find any fruit of the Spirit in your life, rejoice! It is proof that you belong to Him. And if you find bad fruit, bring it to Him in repentance. He will prune what needs pruning, for He is committed to making you ever more fruitful. 

So, dear friends who join me in this journey of faith, let us not be overly harsh with ourselves, always counting our failures and ignoring the evidence of grace. Instead, let us delight in and humbly thank God for the good fruit He is producing in us. Let us trust Him to complete the work He has begun, for every redeemed tree, in time, will yield a beautiful harvest that glorifies the Lord of the vineyard.