FRUITFULNESS!

When we moved to our house twelve years ago, there was a mango tree in the back yard. The previous owners had purchased it and put it in a flower bed next to the pool deck. It grew there, having rooted itself through the flower pot. When we moved in, the tree was firmly rooted with a plastic flower pot around the base!

For a few years, as it grew, it didn’t produce any fruit. I was disappointed and wondered if it would ever produce any. One year, to my delight, a few mangos appeared! I didn’t even know if I liked mangos, but I was so excited to see around eight of them on our tree!

Every year it seemed that the tree produced more fruit to the point that they couldn’t be counted! They were everywhere! But the tree had gotten huge (with no signs of stopping), and it was apparent that the roots were growing toward the pool, which would cause damage to it.

So, after having the situation evaluated by an arborist, I reluctantly agreed to have it cut down. I was so sad about it, but I knew it had to be done. I asked the guys cutting it down to save the mangos if they could. The day it was cut down, I looked into the back yard and there were literally hundreds of mangos covering the ground! I had no idea there were so many!

If there was ever a visual describing “fruitfulness,” this was it!

Biblical “fruit” describes outward actions that result from the inward condition of a person’s heart. Galatians 5:22-23 lists the “fruit” this way:

Love

Joy

Peace

Patience

Kindness

Goodness

Faithfulness

Gentleness

Self-control

Jesus said, “This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.” (John 15:8)

When I think about the hundreds of mangos covering our back yard, it reminds me that I want to be “fruitful” for God’s kingdom.

What kind of “fruit” will you bear?