Reading With the People of God #12 - the Good LifeSample

You Can’t Fake Fruit.

Several years ago, I planted some fruit trees that were given to me by a close friend. This friend made his living developing new varieties of stone fruit. Therefore, the trees that he gave me were quite healthy and I was excited about the fruit that they would produce. But I was disappointed because I discovered that the soil where I lived was just not good for growing fruit trees. Consequently, I received very little good fruit from them and some of the trees even died. You see, the trees weren’t getting the nutrients from the soil that they needed so they were unable to produce the fruit that I wanted. The heart of the trees, if you will, was not good!

This reminded me that the fruit does not make the tree good, but the health of the tree makes the fruit good!

It is true about us as well. If your heart is getting the nutrients that it needs, then it will produce the fruit that you would like to come from your life. And those nutrients come from planting it deeply in the truth of the Word of God, empowered by the Spirit of God and transformed by the Son of God! So, what kind of soil is your life grounded in? Remember, good fruit, real fruit comes from your heart. You can’t fake Fruit!

* Primer contributed by Steve Moody, Retired Pastor and Educator