WHAT KIND OF FRUIT AM I?
WHEN ASKED WHAT FRUIT BEST REFLECT our individual temperament and character, a variety of fruits will come to mind including durian, banana, grapes, cherries, coconut, jackfruit or pineapple. But it is not as easy to name a tree that represents us even though the goodness of a fruit depends on the type of tree it grows on.
The Bible often uses the metaphors of fruit to describe the spiritual health of Christians and whether we represent and reflect who God is to the people around us. In moments of elation, times of celebration, periods of stress and unexpected setbacks, what narratives do people see in how we go through them? Fruits do not emerge fully formed, and as they grow on trees, their different forms are visible to all. A fully mature fruit that is not harvested will soon rot without ever delivering any goodness to anyone.
Jesus Himself taught in Luke 6:43-44a that “No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. Each tree is recognized by its own fruit.” He taught us that a tree and its fruits could not be separated. Implicitly, it means we cannot talk about the goodness of fruits without at the same time pay attention to the plant health, the root condition, and the appropriate gardening methods that altogether contribute to the well-being of the tree and its fruits.
In addition, the Lord taught that “A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.” (Luke 6:45). Many people think that this refers to how we speak when it is in fact about what we communicate through our actions, and the thinking underlying what we say. Christians are often guilty of over-emphasizing Christian grace and downplaying the importance of biblical truth. Being ‘nice’ without speaking uncompromised words of truth to bring alignment and freedom really has no biblical foundation.
How do we maintain spiritual fruitfulness in our living, our relationships and our daily interactions with people? The kind of fruit we become depends on three things:
1. The Tree You Are
When considering if we are the kind of tree that bears fruits that delight the Father, we must also consider who is the chief gardener of the tree. In other words, who do we allow to prune and weed us so that we have the chance to recover from languishing in stagnation? Different people have different interests in our lives but only God has our best interest at heart. Are you allowing your life to be run by someone who has little to no interest in your spiritual growth? You may even feel that you cannot live without them even though you are sinning against God in disobedience to Him.
John 15:4 makes it clear that we are the branches that Jesus urged to stay connected to Him for spiritual health and growth. There is no such thing as a self-made Christian. We can quote the Bible till we are blue in the face, we can put on all the artefacts of Christianity like the cross, Christian decals, Bible screensavers on our phones but if we do not remain in a committed relationship with Jesus Christ, we have no hope for a fruitful life. Jesus taught, “I am the true vine and my Father is the Gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit He prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.” (John 15:1-2).
Verse 44a alludes to that fact that people do not judge of a tree by its foliage, or the health of its bark, or its flowers, but by the fruits that it bears. We may fool ourselves into thinking that we are fine but people can tell what kind of tree we are by the fruit we bear. To God, a tree that only provides shelter while remaining barren is a useless tree. As such, the lack of fruitfulness should be an existential crisis for any Christian.
2. Where is the Tree Planted?
This is a question about where we place our trust when we face testing, trials and troubles. When the rubber meets the road, do we trust Jesus and His Word more than our own opinion about what is best for us?
Jeremiah 17:5-8 reminds us that “Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who draws strength from mere flesh and whose heart turns away from the Lord. That person will be like a bush in the wastelands; they will not see prosperity when it come … But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose is in Him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.”
There are ample Bible accounts depicting highly improbable outcomes that God orchestrated out of impossible problems to remind us that we can still hold on to our faith in God when strong waves of emotions overwhelm us.
3. The Fruit People Recognize
It is said that the apple never falls far from the tree, so we cannot say that we are disciples of Jesus Christ without any trace of Christlikeness in us. Whether it is a mango, a banana or cherries, fully-formed fruits are easily recognized for their distinctive features even before people taste them.
Likewise, people will recognize the fruit in us. If we say we are a faith tree, they will recognize us by our faith. If we say we are a life-giving tree that points people to Christ, they will see Jesus as the source of life and hope. If we claim to be a loving tree that comforts people battered by the storms of life, it will be odd if we remain distant and rarely accessible to anyone.
This underlines what Luke 6:44 says, “Each tree is recognized by its own fruit. People do not pick figs from thornbushes, or grapes from briers.”
What did Jesus say we are to be recognized for? “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:34-35).
Mother Theresa famously said that love is a fruit in season at all times, and within reach of every hand. No one puts fruits on display without opening them up to enjoy the inside. This tells us that we cannot be fruitful if we never let anyone see our vulnerability where the core of faith lies. If over time, people do not detect any hint of faith in our living, or see any reflection of the Word in our thinking, or feel nourished and refreshed after spending time with us, they will eventually lose interest.
After all, “A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. What you say flows from what is in your heart.” (Luke 6:45 NLT).
Impression management can only go so far for people will spot inconsistencies between what we say and how we live.
Be the tree that bears good fruit.
Be the fruit that others recognize.
Be a fruit that lasts.
Be the disciple whose heart is filled with richness that glorifies God.
This is a summary and reflection based on a virtual BIR Session held on 9 September 2023.
