Let’s get fruity with it.

Picture a young man growing up in the world surrounded by family and friends who walk and talk football all day long. Imagine this young man who has all the knowledge for passing the ball, running the ball, making tackles, and training hard. Now consider that this young man has never stepped foot on a practice field, let alone participate in any football game. When you talk to him, you would imagine he was just as good on the field as off in conversation. We read in John 15: 1-6 the ingredients for being fruity. Just like the young man who knows a lot about football,but has never put it into practice, we need to be doing, in this case what the Father has commanded us. Often it seems, we appear to be devoted followers of Christ, but it ends with knowledge, with know how, but more often than we may care to admit, without practice. Jesus here I believe is stressing the importance of bearing fruit. To do this we must remain in him. Apart from him, we do nothing, the text goes on to say. It’s as if we are one step away from being more fruity than ever. In him, we have heard his words spoken and we have taken them to heart. From the heart out pours our actions. When our hearts are full of words, ideas, thoughts, other than those reflective of Christ, our actions tend to be dry and withered. The fruit we bear is full of love. Like the young man with all the knowledge about football, until he stepped onto the field and practiced what he knew, he was simply an informed onlooker, not a participant. As we partner with Christ, our fruitiness will increase as we live out the words spoken to us. May this day be full of much fruit.