Tip #39: Bear Fruit.
My granddad was a farmer and while that was the thing to do back in the day, I hated when Saturdays rolled around. My mom would wake us up early in the morning (while the other kids stayed home watching cartoons) so that we could go with my granddad to pick peas. I remember riding in his old Ford Grand Torino. It was so old, the floor board had rusted through and I could see the highway below my feet as we rode along County Road 139 (a 2-lane, country highway in Wildwood, Florida). He grew several types of fruits & vegetables such as corn, sugar cane, watermelons, black-eyed peas, peanuts, tomatoes, potatoes, etc. and he had "free labor" through his grand kids. I learned a lot from that hard work and as an adult, I have come to appreciate it! One thing my granddad hated was crop failure or pests that would eat/destroy his fruit. After all, the time, energy, and effort he put into planting, watering, and tilling the ground for his crops should produce good fruit. Otherwise, it was a waste of time. As human beings, we are supposed to bear fruit. But what do I mean by "bear fruit"? Well, what do you think? Apples, duh! J/K. Our lives should produce certain "fruit" or characteristics. The best fruit I know are the fruit of the spirit found in Galatians 5:22-23. They are: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Over the next few posts, I will explain these fruit in detail and share ways to produce these fruit through your life in very practical ways. Take a moment to stop what you're doing right now and ask yourself this question: "how is my life making a difference in the lives of others? What fruit am I producing?" I know some of you may be thinking "I'm only 13, 14, 15, 16, 17...how can I really make a difference?" If you have no idea, then this is the reason why I'm writing this post. You'd be amazed at how you can have an impact in the lives of your friends, parents, teachers, coaches, etc. regardless of how young you are. You have a purpose through all ages and stages of your life and that's why you are here, right now! I GUARANTEE if you want to live a life that's actually worth something, try producing these fruit. Stay tuned for more...
Written 1/26/2014 by John Weaver