«You can identify them by their fruit, that is, by the way they act. Can you pick grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles? A good tree produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit» (Matthew 7:16, 17, NLT).
I RECENTLY READ IN A BOOK BY JOHN C. MAXWELL that one day, when Germany was still divided, some people who lived in East Berlin filled a truck with garbage and managed to dump all its contents on the West side. In response to that aggravation, the residents of West Berlin also filled a truck, but with food, bread, and milk, and unloaded all that merchandise on the East side. There was a message on top of the stack of food that read, «Each gives what he has.»
That was great! Those people in West Berlin not only responded to a bad action with a good action, but they also made it clear why they did so: Because each gives what he has. In other words, if the tree is good, the fruit will also be good.
What kind of fruit are you producing? What fruit am I producing?
We already know what the Christian fruits are: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness . . . (Galatians 5:22, 23). And we also know how to acquire them: «a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me» (John 15:4, NLT; emphasis added).
«Remaining in Him» is equivalent to «being joined with Him,» as The Message translation says, «In the same way that a branch can’t bear grapes by itself but only by being joined to the vine, you can’t bear fruit unless you are joined with me.»
The key word here is connection. Not a casual, occasional connection, but a permanent one, as the Greek word the apostle John uses in this passage indicates. That word is meno, which means «to stay, to remain, to permanently abide in a place.» The strength of this word is such that, according to Rick Renner, «it conveys the idea that something is rooted, steadfast, stable. «What will be the result of that permanent connection with our Savior?
«When we live by faith on the Son of God, the fruits of the Spirit will be seen in our lives; not one will be missing«—The Desire of Ages, ch. 73, p. 676; emphasis added.
Heavenly Father, I do not know what trials this new day will bring, but whatever they may be, I ask that You help me to share the peace of the Spirit, the joy of salvation, and the love of Christ, my blessed Savior, with those who are around me.
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Taken from: Devotional Readings for Adults 2022
“GREAT IS OUR GOD!”
From: FERNANDO ZABALA
Collaborators: Xiomara Perdomo & Angelica Cuate
