A tree is known by its fruit.-Luke 6:44.
Trees are beautiful, mystical things. A symbol of anticipation. In winter, seemingly dead, storing up energy and nutrients for the rest of the year. Spring it Burts into blossoms abloom. Summer growing, emerging, developing, sprouting. And finally in the fall there is a bountiful harvest of produce.
Figs are my personal favorite. However, I have wonderful memories of gathering apples in my family's' backyard and later roaming orchards. For a while our neighbors had a pear tree, until they cut it down.
Trees trees trees. All different, but all trees, and so it says "you know a tree by its fruit." The fact of the matter is that I'm never going to pick a fig out from under my mom's apple tree. It's never in a million years going to happen. Though I'd like it to, and if I knew a way to make that apple tree start producing figs, know that I would. However, it can't and it never will, because it's an apple tree and apple trees produce apples.
I was listening to the 3dm podcasts today and they went into the next chapter in Luke, where Jesus is questioned about his leadership and that of John the Baptists. And it goes back to fruit. He says "John the Baptist came fasting from bread and wine and you say he has a demon. However, the son of man came eating bread and drinking wine and you say he's a glutton and a sinner. However wisdom is proved by her children."
Jesus and John both carried a divine purpose in the hands of God. However, because of the difference in purpose their lives looked very different. However both were judged. In the verses prior it describes the people as seeing John as too radical so they strove to play some party music and set out hourderves (total paraphrase) to liven his spirit. Make him not take things so seriously. However, the same people saw Jesus as too radical and they turned on the funeral music, trying to convince him to tone it down. Like me trying to turn my apple trees into fig trees, these people saw their leadership and exclaimed "hey, that doesn't look like how I want it!" And in their judgements sought to change Jesus and John.
But a tree is known by its fruit.
Jesus knew who he was, and I am assuming John did as well. They knew their purpose on earth and sought to bear fruit that bared such.
In church this past Sunday the pastor challeneged: what is your purpose? In life? In your relationships? The Lord does not cause happenings to occur by accident. Everything has a reason. When we discover the purspose, we able to align ourselves accordingly and fruit is produced. We don't seek to produce figs or pears. We produce apples, because we are apple trees and producing apples is our purpose. And for all those who cast judgment, desiring us to be different, there opinions don't seem to matter.
Only time tells the fruit we produce. We cannot merely preach "this is the fruit I produce." Though an apple tree seedling may come with a tag saying "hey, I produce apples." Only time will tell it's true fruit. If it's an apple tree it will produce apples, but if it's a fig tree it's simply a fig tree wearing the wrong tag.
The only way to truly know our own fruit is to listen to the Father. Hear his voice, meditate on his words of purpose, and follow through the doors he opens, confident. Above all we have to trust. Listen and trust. Listen to the purpose he places on our hearts and trust as we follow his tender leading.
I feel I am in a season of definition, allowing Papa to define my purpose. Surrending who I think I should be (whether that's due expectations or labels have put upon me, or my desire to be something else) and embracing who he's truly made me to be, no matter the thoughts of those around me. For I really am a fig tree, though I strive to be an apple like those around me. Now is the time to lay aside the desire and expectation. Now is the time to stop talking about the fruit I want to produce. Now is the time to live and in due time the fruit will harvest. Let the world watch. Now is the time shine and Glorify Papa as I was Intended.
Trees are beautiful, mystical things. A symbol of anticipation. In winter, seemingly dead, storing up energy and nutrients for the rest of the year. Spring it Burts into blossoms abloom. Summer growing, emerging, developing, sprouting. And finally in the fall there is a bountiful harvest of produce.
Figs are my personal favorite. However, I have wonderful memories of gathering apples in my family's' backyard and later roaming orchards. For a while our neighbors had a pear tree, until they cut it down.
Trees trees trees. All different, but all trees, and so it says "you know a tree by its fruit." The fact of the matter is that I'm never going to pick a fig out from under my mom's apple tree. It's never in a million years going to happen. Though I'd like it to, and if I knew a way to make that apple tree start producing figs, know that I would. However, it can't and it never will, because it's an apple tree and apple trees produce apples.
I was listening to the 3dm podcasts today and they went into the next chapter in Luke, where Jesus is questioned about his leadership and that of John the Baptists. And it goes back to fruit. He says "John the Baptist came fasting from bread and wine and you say he has a demon. However, the son of man came eating bread and drinking wine and you say he's a glutton and a sinner. However wisdom is proved by her children."
Jesus and John both carried a divine purpose in the hands of God. However, because of the difference in purpose their lives looked very different. However both were judged. In the verses prior it describes the people as seeing John as too radical so they strove to play some party music and set out hourderves (total paraphrase) to liven his spirit. Make him not take things so seriously. However, the same people saw Jesus as too radical and they turned on the funeral music, trying to convince him to tone it down. Like me trying to turn my apple trees into fig trees, these people saw their leadership and exclaimed "hey, that doesn't look like how I want it!" And in their judgements sought to change Jesus and John.
But a tree is known by its fruit.
Jesus knew who he was, and I am assuming John did as well. They knew their purpose on earth and sought to bear fruit that bared such.
In church this past Sunday the pastor challeneged: what is your purpose? In life? In your relationships? The Lord does not cause happenings to occur by accident. Everything has a reason. When we discover the purspose, we able to align ourselves accordingly and fruit is produced. We don't seek to produce figs or pears. We produce apples, because we are apple trees and producing apples is our purpose. And for all those who cast judgment, desiring us to be different, there opinions don't seem to matter.
Only time tells the fruit we produce. We cannot merely preach "this is the fruit I produce." Though an apple tree seedling may come with a tag saying "hey, I produce apples." Only time will tell it's true fruit. If it's an apple tree it will produce apples, but if it's a fig tree it's simply a fig tree wearing the wrong tag.
The only way to truly know our own fruit is to listen to the Father. Hear his voice, meditate on his words of purpose, and follow through the doors he opens, confident. Above all we have to trust. Listen and trust. Listen to the purpose he places on our hearts and trust as we follow his tender leading.
I feel I am in a season of definition, allowing Papa to define my purpose. Surrending who I think I should be (whether that's due expectations or labels have put upon me, or my desire to be something else) and embracing who he's truly made me to be, no matter the thoughts of those around me. For I really am a fig tree, though I strive to be an apple like those around me. Now is the time to lay aside the desire and expectation. Now is the time to stop talking about the fruit I want to produce. Now is the time to live and in due time the fruit will harvest. Let the world watch. Now is the time shine and Glorify Papa as I was Intended.
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