Dear Friends,

When I think about the idea of bearing fruit, I think about raising a family. If Judy and I had known 45 years ago all that was involved in raising our five kids, we’d have probably run off to join a commune rather than having our first child in 1966. Thankfully, we did not know the time, resources, and commitment it would take, ahead of time.  

If you enter a home where thoughtful child rearing is in process, you will see much fruit: skinned knees being kissed, breakfasts, lunches, snacks, and dinners being made, laundry being washed and folded (again), bills being paid, dogs being fed, homework being struggled over, activities being scheduled, independence being taught, and memories being built.  

In our own days of intense parenting, when all five of our kids were at home, the demand that we “bear fruit” in keeping with that list above was sometimes insurmountable. At one point, Judy added up all the hours that she needed to spend in various parenting pursuits in a week’s time, and the total was greater than the number of hours in the day. The fruit-eaters were hungry; the fruit producers were often exhausted!

When demand for fruit in my life seems greater than my capacity to produce it, I am struck by two truths of Scripture.  The first comes from Galatians 5:22 – 23, where Paul lists the fruit of the Spirit as “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” This passage reminds me that I cannot bear fruit apart from the work of the Holy Spirit in my life. As I discussed last week, my own capacity to bear fruit is directly related to whether or not I am abiding in Christ.

Secondly, however, I turn to Colossians 3:12. It says, “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.” (NIV) Not only do I need to be abiding to bear fruit, I also need to be consciously clothing myself with particular attitudes and mindsets during these seasons of intensity. Just as I put on my pants and shirt and belt in the morning, I need to put on compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. I have to put on these attitudes so that I can be conscious of them as I make choices about the many demands on my time and energy each day.

So, as you experience seasons of fruitfulness that may even tax your capacity, I pray that you find power in abiding and persistence in clothing yourself with the robe of Christ’s righteousness, purchased for you at Calvary.

Blessings,

Ron