Fruits of the Spirits
July 20, 2008
Bible Reading: 3He shall be like a tree, planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper. 4 The ungodly are not so, but are like the chaff which the wind drives away. 5 Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. 6 For the LORD knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the ungodly shall perish.… Psalm 1:3-6
Bonus Readings: Psalm 92:13-15 ; Proverbs 1:30-32; St John 15:1-2; 8; 15-16; Colossians 1:5-7
Two well-known people—John Wesley and Mark Twain—vividly demonstrate the contrast between godly and ungodly yield—fruit—in their life, clearly portrayed in Psalm 1. When Wesley, who had been joyous, energetic, and effective even in his 88th year, was dying, he suddenly sat up, looked at the people weeping at his bedside, and said, “Best of all, God is with us!” True to the prediction made in Psalm 92, Wesley was able to “…yield fruit in old age,” and “be full of sap and very green.” Obviously, he was still able to yield the Fruit of the Spirit in his life, even when facing death. He crystallized the priorities of pursuit of God’s purpose in life when he said, “Give me one hundred men who fear nothing but sin and desire nothing but God, and I care not whether they be clergyman or laymen, they alone will shake the gates of Hell and set up the kingdom of Heaven upon the earth.”
In stark contrast was Mark Twain, who, despite his singular wit and notable celebrity, was morose and weary of life well before his death at 75. He penned, “A myriad of men are born; they labor and sweat and struggle for bread; they squabble and scold and fight; . . . age creeps upon them; infirmities follow; . . . those they love are taken from them, and the joy of life is turned to aching grief. . . . Release comes at last—the only unpoisoned gift earth ever had for them—and they vanish from a world where they were of no consequence; . . . a world which will lament them a day and forget them forever.” Although loved and admired by many of his time, he felt the produce of his life was of no consequence. Lacking the fruit of a God-centered life, Twain’s wry humor was reduced to fatalism.
If we trust God and live for Him, filled and empowered by the Holy Ghost, we will—like Wesley—resemble stately trees that are lively and fruitful through all time and eternity. We can—and will—experience that fruit in our lives, producing joy and peace even in difficult times.
If, on the other hand, we reject God to “do our own thing,” then, even if we are in church every time the doors are open, our lives will resemble windblown chaff, forever empty and unsatisfying, with little or no fruit. Lacking God’s sap in our branches, we will lack the flexibility to bend and move with the tribulations of life that our Lord promised would come our way. The options are clear, then—will it be faith and everlasting joy—or unbelief and eternal regret? What will we invest ourselves in?
It’s our option, then—which one will it be for us?
Contemplative Prayer: “Holy Spirit, help me live the words of St. John Baptist in everything I do—I must decrease, so He may increase. Show me and empower me to live for God’s purpose—and not my own.”
All love in the Beloved, Chip+
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