What Fruit Do You Bear?

Jesus often described people like trees – some bearing good fruit, others bad. In the case of Israel, a fig tree that looked healthy outwardly but produced nothing. This image invites a personal question: when Jesus looks at my life, what kind of fruit does He see? "Every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit" (Matthew 7:17-20). Fruit is not forced; it is the natural outcome of what fills and directs the tree. In the same way, our actions, attitudes, and words flow from what controls our hearts. Galatians describes two opposing sources. When we follow our sinful nature, the results are clear: "following lustful pleasures, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, envy, division" (Galatians 5:19-21). But when we surrender to Christ and allow His Spirit to lead us, a different kind of fruit begins to grow – love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). Jesus makes it clear that we cannot produce both kinds of fruit at the same time. The direction of our lives determines the outcome. Each day presents a quiet choice: to follow our own desires or to walk by the Spirit. Let us heed Paul's encouragement: "Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit's leading in every part of our lives" (Galatians 5:25). (Nicky B). Open Bible – bit.ly/Mat7v17-20, bit.ly/gal5v19-21, bit.ly/gal5v22-23, bit.ly/Gal5v25