Focusing On Fruit

It’s difficult to watch something die, unless you understand that it’s sole purpose was to bear fruit. 

This squash plant wasn’t meant to live forever. It was merely meant to be the structure needed to form fruit that could be consumed and give life to someone— fruit that matured long enough to form seed within it that could be planted to grow more squash.  More squash to be consumed and give life. More squash to form seed to be planted again, over and over. Because the point of the plant is to provide structure to grow the fruit. 

Too many of us are more interested in tending to the plant for the sake of the plant, rather than tending to the plant for the sake of the fruit. We must understand that the plant— the structure given to us for the purpose of bearing fruit— was not meant to live forever. Only the fruit will remain. We have not been appointed to keep the plant alive, we have been appointed to bear fruit. The structure is passing away, but the fruit will live forever. 

I see many holding onto structures, when they should be holding onto Christ instead. We must ask ourselves, what are we really abiding in? A structure, or a person? Christ-like things, or Christ? Are we more focused on keeping the plant healthy because we take pleasure in its appearance, or do we understand the transient nature of the plant, which exists for the sake of the fruit? 

I wonder how many of us have enough faith to let go of the plant, so that the Lord may have His fruit?

(Luke 18:8) …Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on earth?

(John 15:16) You did not choose Me, but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will remain—so that whatever you ask the Father in My name, He will give you.

(John 15:5,7,8) I am the vine and you are the branches. The one who remains in Me, and I in him, will bear much fruit. For apart from Me you can do nothing…If you remain in Me and My words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to My Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, proving yourselves to be My disciples.

(Matt 21:34) When the harvest time drew near, he sent his servants to the tenants to collect his share of the fruit.

(Mat 21:43) Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit.

(Mark 4:26) Jesus also said, “The kingdom of God is like a man who scatters seed on the ground. Night and day he sleeps and wakes, and the seed sprouts and grows, though he knows not how. All by itself the earth produces a crop—first the stalk, then the head, then grain that ripens within. And as soon as the grain is ripe, he swings the sickle, because the harvest has come.”

(Is 27:6) In the days to come, Jacob will take root. Israel will bud and blossom and fill the whole world with fruit.