Dear Lighthouse,
As
a science teacher in biology I was trained to observe the natural world. I got
used to noticing the ‘little’ things about animals and plants. With
this eye for the details comes the compulsion to classify and organize the things I encounter.
I like to know what order an insect is in and how a crustacean differs from a mollusk and that sort of thing. Woe to my children in the future! One
thing we did every year in my classes was the infamous leaf collection. Students
would scour the county far and wide to find all sorts of unique and exotic leaves from trees.
I got pretty good at identifying them along with my students – all except fruit trees. Man, they gave me trouble every year. A pear and a peach leaf
looked so much alike to me! However, if we could collect the leaves from trees
in the field, in say the late spring or summer, identification became a whole lot easier because I could simply look at the
fruit that the tree produced. Even I can tell the difference between a peach
and a pear then!
Galatians
5 talks about fruit trees. Well, actually it just talks about the fruit that
you and I produce. What kind of fruit do we produce in our lives? Do you think that someone walking along would notice us? And
would this keen-eyed person be able to distinguish our fruit from that of other people that did not have the Holy Spirit of
God living in them? Would we blend into the forest of the status quo and unsaved
timbers or would we stand out as a unique and prized tree for someone’s collection?
Paul,
writing to the Galatians in 5:16-26 lays out his argument very clearly. People
produce a fruit – a behavior or character – based upon what is living inside.
What we allow our minds to feed on, what we nourish ourselves with will eventually produce a crop in our lives. The question is what crop will it be? If
you feed and cultivate your sinful nature you will reap the following: sexual
immorality, impurity, debauchery, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions,
factions, envy, drunkenness, orgies and so on. Are these things growing in your
life? Do you think this fruit is what God desires? Certainly not. In fact, Paul says those who live like this
will no inherit the Kingdom of God.
So,
what if you turn your back on your sinful bent and pursue righteousness? What
if you say ‘no’ to yourself and follow God’s Spirit? Well,
the fruit of the Spirit is: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
gentleness, and self-control. Hmmm. It
doesn’t take a biological scientist to figure out which list is more desirable or more beneficial to yourself and others. However, the fruit borne by the tree living by the Spirit comes on later in the year
than the fruit of evil – doesn’t it?
I
urge you, as I urge myself, please don’t give into the temptation to sacrifice the good for the immediate. Don’t live in sin and expect to produce saintly fruit. I
simply will not happen. You must not even ride the fence when it comes to your
spiritual nourishment or you will be malnourished and be left underdeveloped in your Christian walk. Paul says it best in verses 24-26, “Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature
with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step
with the Spirit. Let un not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.” Instead, I urge you to encourage one another and support one another every day.
It
is not easy attempting to live up to God’s standards. However, it is worth
it. It is not easy denying oneself, but it brings true joy and fulfillment. Rage, immorality, hatred, and jealousy – oh they are easy to produce. They take so very little water and soil – so very little care.
Prune those out of your life. Cultivate patience, kindness, peace and
love. Yes, they are more delicate fruits.
They take lots of nutrients, time, and care. But these things will produce
a harvest in your life that will stretch into eternity.
Grow
in God.