I love to get things done. As much I love getting things done, I equally love to see the fruit of my labor…though I am not always in love with the process of getting it done. As I mature in my faith walk, I learned that my desire to get things done can sometimes get in the way, yielding less than favorable results. In my quest to clear my to do list and reach the goal, I can unintentionally kill the harvest. Perhaps I plucked my fruit too soon, attached myself to the wrong thing, or tried to protect myself from the pruning that is required to produce the best fruit. More often than I like to admit, it’s the inability to work from a place a rest that spoils my fruit.

One of my favorite recorded conversations Jesus had with His disciples is captured in John 15. He provides them instructions on how to create fruit that will last…fruit that is produced from a relationship with Him, remaining connected to Him and a willingness to submit to the process of producing a special kind of fruit. This conversation would be one of His last before becoming the seed that would produce a harvest for eternity.

“Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit, he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. ‘”

– Jesus (John 15:2-5)

God desires for us to be fruitful. Not our way. Not culture’s way. His way. He established the protocol for producing a special kind of fruit.

Fruit cannot be produced alone. Jesus instructs His crew to stay connected to Him, otherwise they wouldn’t be able to do anything. Not only do we need Jesus, but we also need partnership. God will send and position the people you need to get the work done. Sometimes it will require stepping out of your comfort zone, trusting, and asking for what you need.

Commit your plan to God, then do what He says.  Whatever instruction God gives you as you are producing your fruit, JUST DO IT. Don’t delay your harvest because of the pesticide of disobedience. Jesus instructed His crew to stay connected to Him and do what He says. Then He promises if they did what He said, they could ask for whatever they needed, and He would give it to them.

You can be assured that whatever you need for your harvest has already been thought of and is waiting for you to take hold of.

Producing fruit is an act of love. Fruit produced with the wrong motives is rotten fruit Your fruitfulness should be an act of love towards God and others. While the work may be hard, the labor must be in love. Your work is an extension of God’s love for you, your love for Him and a demonstration of your relationship with Him.

“Show that you are my followers by producing much fruit. This will bring honor to my Father.”

-Jesus (John 15:8 ERV)

You were chosen for the fruit you were called to produce. The fruit you were called to produce can only be produced by you. Sure, there might be other varieties. But your fruit, patented by God, sealed with His spirit, and trademarked by you, gets its unique flavor from all that is in you. Everything you need for production is in you. What you don’t have is on the way. If God chose you for it, He is trusting you with it. 

Pruning is essential for production. When we are producing good fruit, we can expect to go through the pruning process – the removal of the toxins that would otherwise infect and damage the harvest. Sometimes those toxins include control, pride, insecurity, and fear…. just to name a few. It may hurt but it’s necessary to produce something special.

You need His word. Let God’s Word lead you, fill you and instruct you. Don’t let your plans, ungodly and unwise counsel, anxiety, worry, and competitiveness kill your fruit.

‘Now the one sown among the thorns — this is one who hears the word, but the worries of this age and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. But the one sown on the good ground — this is one who hears and understands the word, who does produce fruit and yields: some a hundred, some sixty, some thirty times what was sown.” ‘

– Jesus (Matthew 13:22-23)

Abide. Work from a place of rest – spiritual, emotional, and physical rest are necessary for production. Jesus invites us to rest in Him, trusting Him with our lives – all of it. While we work, we can work knowing that we don’t have to strive for results. If we commit our plans to Him, do what He says, lay aside our anxiety and trust the process, we can continually produce from a place of rest.

You were chosen to be fruitful. Now go and produce fruit!

“‘You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. ‘”

– Jesus

(John 15:16 NIV)