Fruit
by Angie Whitaker
The weather had been glorious, and our neighbour had a tree laden with damsons. She invited us to pick as many as we would like to and so I took a plastic bowl and knocked on her door to ask permission.
As I walked to the tree, I was surprised I could not see the fruit. From a distance the fruit was hidden, but, as I stood under the boughs of the tree and looked up, I was amazed at the quantity of ripe fruit just waiting to be picked and used. It reminded me of Jesus’ teaching about Himself as the vine and of those who belong to Him, the branches. If we dwell in Him then we will bear fruit. As I looked at the abundant crop, I saw that much of it was full and ripe.
Within each one of us who belong to Him and have received His Holy Spirit there is that rich resource of spiritual fruit; ‘love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness and self-control’ (Galatians 5:22). This is the nature of His Spirit within us. The character of our Lord Jesus reflected through the fruit of His Holy Spirit should be evident in those of us who belong to Him.
As I looked at the tree with its ripe fruit, I noticed a lot of the fruit had fallen to the ground. Most of this fruit seemed ripe and bursting, but it was wasted. I was challenged by what God was showing me. There are those of us who do not use the fruit He has graciously given to us and so it is wasted.
Does our personality reveal the nature of the fruit of the Holy Spirit? We know we do not always display the character we ought to. Sometimes it is necessary to ask Jesus to help us to display more of the nature of the Holy Spirit within us and to ask Him to help us put our own carnal nature to death. For how can we even begin to imagine that we can do the work that Jesus has called us to without the nature of His Holy Spirit within us?
Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are amazing and oh so generous in what You have given to us. Increase in us a desire to be in a daily relationship with You. Please forgive us if we have wasted and not used that which You have given us. Please help us to receive and to demonstrate in our lives the fruit freely given and to use it for Your glory. Amen.
Angie Whitaker Angie, together with husband John, is a long-time supporter of Ellel Ministries. She is currently involved in Explore B at Ellel Grange and helps facilitate the pottery workshops on our "Healing through Creativity" courses.
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