Bearing Fruit

"...the faith and love that spring from the hope that is stored up for you in Heaven and that you have already heard about in the word of truth, the gospel that has come to you. All over the world, this gospel is bearing fruit..." Colossians 1:5-6

     The idea of bearing fruit is not foreign to me, but I do find it difficult sometimes to even begin planting the seeds that will one day lead to a harvest. In today's society, a jam-packed schedule is a must, with each hour meticulously planned, every free Saturday inevitably booked; where am I to begin? Frustration and despair are not fruits of the spirit, but on some days, they seem to be the only thing I have in season.

     Eventually, as I grew in my faith and learned more about bearing fruit, I found that not every story will be a miracle, that there aren't always fireworks and parades, or big announcements of our fruit. Rather, sometimes they come in the smallest and most discreet way; God gently tapping us on the shoulder, reminding us that whether we are aware or not, we are working to further his kingdom.

     I have a friend who, to my knowledge, doesn't have an active - or obviously active - faith. She is a good person, loving and kind, ready to hand you her last ten dollars if you were in need. To me, there are sprouts waiting to pop up at any moment, they just need the right cultivating. This is, of course, something I've learned later, after one of those frequent "God taps" on the shoulder.

     One day, she came to me to talk about her younger sister, and a medical condition she had developed. It had the potential to become something very serious. The worry and fear was very apparent on her face as she spoke of her sister, then 14 years old, and what the prognosis was. It was one of those moments of pure helplessness, where you feel as if you've been swept away at sea, with no land in sight. What started as a quiet and reserved conversation quickly developed into a deluge of emotion, with dozens of "what if" scenarios. When the talk ended, I asked if I could put her sister on our prayer list, to which she quietly agreed.

     The days came and went; with a hectic (sometimes verging on frantic) work environment, there's little time for chit-chat. Time passed, and I never asked her how the younger sister was doing. One morning, my friend came to me and said, "Kristin, did you really put my sister on your prayer list?" Although secretly I was mildly offended at the question, my selfish mind telling me that she may think I'd fibbed when I asked if we could pray, I politely responded, "Of course I did!" My slefish mind was also telling me this could be a baited question...so I'd better keep my answer short and sweet!

     I wasn't quite prepared for what came next.

     "Well, I'll tell you, this prayer stuff must really work...because my sister is just fine!"

     I was in shock! I know I shouldn't be shocked, because God can do anything, but there are moments - miracles - where I am truly stunned and amazed, and eternally grateful, for His actions. Her sister, who could have been dealt a life threatening illness, was now symptom free!

     Later, I realized I had witnessed the bearing of fruit, the result of planting seeds about prayer and faith and God's power; that someone was coming to know and understand God because of simple acts of faith. I was humbled; I prayed earnestly for forgiveness of my selfish thoughts, and thanked God for showing me all fruit is valuable and kingdom worthy.

     It seems we're always looking for awesome and astounding ways to bear fruit; but are we of the right mindset? Do we want to further His kingdom because we truly want to bring someone to Christ, or are we looking for praise in our acts? Fruit won't always be public; there won't always be a grand announcement or parade, but that's okay...what matters is the work we are doing, and the result, and our relationship with God. We're always playing to an audience of one.

     In those times where it's frustrating, where we work our very hardest and do our very best, and seem to get nowhere...well, sometimes we'll get that gentle reminder that no matter how small the seeds are that we plant, even unknowingly, a fruitful spirit can emerge. At the grocery store, the doctor's office, even at the fax machine...we are surrounded with opportunities each and every day; it's just recognizing and using them.

     The task is not always easy, and there are cases where we'll never see the fruit resulting from the seeds we've planted, and that's okay, too. In Colossians, when Paul says our hope is stored up in Heaven, he's gently reminding us of our eternal reward, the joy of a fruitful spirit, our salvation, our freedom to live for Christ.