Lets us focus on the roots to see fruits
In John 15:16, the Lord commands us to bear fruit and for that fruit to endure. Recently, a brother visited my home, gave his life to Christ, and was baptized. This was a beautiful moment, and I shared it with a sister, who told me that she had taken him to church where he was born again, and later she bought him a Bible. However, it seemed that his spiritual journey stopped there. When he came to my home again and spoke with my children, a conversation with them discouraged him, and instead of accepting an offer I had made for him to start a cyber business and run an Uber service, he left abruptly. A conversation with a sister made me realize that the expectations I had for him were too high. You wouldn’t expect a new born to go out and play now would you, even though its a good idea?
This situation made me reflect on what it means for fruit to remain. As Christians, are we truly helping people stay rooted in Christ and continue to bear fruit? The Holy Spirit convicted me that many Christians remain within the comfort of church communities, focusing on appearing good to one another, while Christ didn’t come for the righteous but for the sick, the broken, and the captives. We are called to go beyond the walls of the church, reaching out to the lost, healing the sick, and sharing the gospel just as Christ instructed.
People will remain in Christ when we meet them at the points of their deepest need. When we touch their pain, they will be convicted and will want to share the gospel with others. Jesus spent His time with God, doing only what the Father directed, never for His own glory, but for the Father’s glory, and in turn, God glorified Him. Jesus said we would do even greater works than He did, but how do we achieve that? Obedience to the Holy Spirit is crucial—trusting Him no matter the circumstances. We must go out into the world without fear of man, but with a healthy fear of the One who can destroy both body and soul.
As we serve, we need to constantly check our hearts to ensure we are not acting out of selfish ambition but solely for God’s glory. It’s good to empathize with others, but it’s not okay to become like them in their struggles. We must also be patient with our fellow believers, never judging but always forgiving, as we walk this journey together.
