Show Me Your Fruit

Titus 1:16, "Such people claim they know God, but they deny him by the way they live. They are detestable and disobedient, worthless for doing anything good."

How many of you have ever known someone who claims to be a Christian, but you sure couldn't tell it by the way they live? Perhaps that person is you, or perhaps someone else comes to mind when I ask this question. In Titus 1:16, we read how there were people who claimed to know God, but they denied Him by the way they chose to live.

This verse makes me think of another verse that says, "You can identify them by their fruit, that is, by the way they act. Can you pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? A good tree produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit. A good tree can't produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can't produce good fruit." Matthew 7:16-18. Then, when we go down to verse 20 we read, "Yes, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit, so you can identify people by their actions."

 As I think about these few verses, I have to ask myself, "What fruit is being produced in my life? What do other people see when they look at my actions?"

The answer to these questions somewhat concerns me. Does my fruit represent someone who trusts God fully, or does it show someone who worries? Does it show that I have a good attitude that glorifies God, or is my attitude rotten and smelly and sour?

If I'm honest with myself about these things, I realize that lately, the fruit on my tree has been representing yucky fruit. The frowns... the reactions from others... these things are warning signs that something in my heart needs to be pruned! When people make sarcastic comments such as, "Wow! Don't smile so much, Taylor." or, "Are you good at poker because you should be?" I realize that I am not representing the joy of the Lord well at all.

There is nothing more frustrating than hearing someone say how good the fruit of their life is when the visible fruit of their lives shows nothing but the opposite!

So, here is my statement: "Show me your fruit."

If the actions of your life are denying that you know God, it's not too late. I encourage you to repent and get back on the right path with God. We can't do it without Him, but thankfully, we can do all things through Him Who gives us strength!

If your fruit is looking pretty tasty, I encourage you to continue seeking God and asking Him to produce even more good fruit in your life.

Wherever you're at in the spectrum of fruit, remember John 15:4 which says, "Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me."

As we remain in Christ, He will remain in us and do the necessary pruning to make us produce good and lasting fruit!

Dear Jesus,

I pray that You will produce good fruit in me as I remain in You! Help me, Lord, to have the actions of my life show evidence that I am remaining in You and You in me. Let my actions speak so loudly of the truth of You that it isn't even necessary for me to open my mouth. Forgive me for having such a stinky attitude lately, and thank You for never giving up on me. In Jesus' Name.

Amen.