Fruit that Satisfies

by Jim Hammond

   Some Christians are so busy balancing on the high wire of kids' schedules, work schedules, homework, housework, school activities, and church meetings there is no time or energy left to give spiritual growth more than a guilty wistful glance.

Yet we know from Jesus schedule, and how he made time to be alone with God, that a busy schedule is no excuse for neglecting what is important.  There is always time for what is important.  Don't you always make time for what you really consider important?

    In the article "Fresh from the tree" by Michael Bechtle, (Moody Monthly, Oct 1990) he notes that there are two ways of getting fruit on a tree. One way would be to get a roll of tape and a bag of lemons and start taping them on the branches one by one.  The other way is to water, prune, fertilize, and wait.  Both methods put fruit on a tree, but fruit trees are designed to produce fruit not just display it. Similarly, the fruit of the Spirit should grow in the life of a Christian not be just "taped on" for show.  Sometimes we try to put godly fruit into our lives rather than allowing God to produce that fruit through our intimate relationship with Him. We allow the distractions and pressures of contemporary life to rob us of intimate fellowship with God, and the real tragedy is that we don't even miss it.  We get so busy trying to do right that we forget the importance of being right.   When you look at others' lives or your own and realize very little fruit is being produced, there are some explanations: (1) You're looking at an immature tree and expecting fruit when the tree is still in the early stages of its growth.  Simple responses in the right direction can be encouraging indications that fruit is coming--in time.  (2) The tree may be unhealthy in some way. Just as a tree cannot flourish in a poor soil and without water, a Christian life that is not nourished by the regular personal devotions will wither.

    The analogy of trees breaks down.  Here is some good news.  Though you can't change an elm to an apple tree, you can lead an unbeliever into a life-transforming relationship with Christ.  The secret of fruit-bearing is not to focus merely on better behavior but to get serious about deepening our relationship with God.

    Bearing fruit is serious business.  It is very important to note the things that anger Jesus.  Jesus got angry at a fruitless fig tree once.  It is a puzzling story when you first read it.  It is hard to imagine Jesus cursing any created thing, but he did.  He cursed a fig tree.  It made him angry.  Why?  It did not yield fruit.  You can read about it in Mark 11.  But note something.  There is a story within a story.  The story of the fig tree forms a sandwich around another story, a story involving people.  Take a look at the story again and see Jesus get angry twice.  What's the common theme to this anger?  Was his anger a selfish response?  What's the reason then for Jesus' anger at the fig tree?  (I am not going to give you the answer in this article).  Does this story make you realize how important it is that your life bears fruit?  Compare this with Jesus' statements in John 15:1-6.

    For fruit on trees it takes regular watering, sunshine, and fertilizer.  When it comes to bearing spiritual fruit it takes the work of the Holy Spirit through God's Word, Christian fellowship, and (one rather unpopular ingredient) trials.

    It's hard to find a Christian who thinks spending time alone with God is unimportant, but very few actually do it.  Do you?  If you don't spend time alone with God you are missing out.  You miss out on stress relief.  You miss out on the increased joy that comes from God's activities and fruit in your life (consider Galatians 5:22 for a sample listing).  You miss out on a growing appetite for things that truly satisfy.  You may be burning out, not from working too hard, but from working out of your own strength instead of God's resources.  Or worse yet you may be starving but not know it like an anorexic person.  If you are too busy to meet with God, you had better schedule an appointment with him like you would a doctor, because you are in bad shape, you just don't realize it yet.