By Their Fruits

Lately I've been reflecting on the fruits of the Holy Spirit (especially because they're going to be a big part of this year's Liturgical Planner).

As I was reading the Gospel of Matthew, I got to chapter 7 verse 20:

By their fruits you will know them.

YIKES. Do you know what this means??

My husband will know me by my fruits. My kids will know me by my fruits. My friends will know me by my fruits. You will know me by my fruits.

Convicting much? 

I've been trying to focus on one fruit of the Spirit at a time, and this week I thought it was gentleness. I was more gentle with my daughters when they were disobedient with me, I was more gentle with my interactions with friends, I was more gentle with my husband when I've repeated the same request eight [million] times. 

But as I sit here, reflecting on this past week, one memory keeps coming to mind.

I remember sitting with my husband and two of my closest friends, and we were dreaming together. 

We were asking each other challenging questions -- questions that made us open up our eyes and minds to the idea of big, big dreams.

You know what I've realized from the big dreams I've had in my life?

Those dreams didn't get there by accident. They're from God.

This past week, I sat still enough to listen to where God wants me, wants my family, wants this beautiful ministry and community.

This past week, while working on gentleness, I'm realizing He was giving me an opportunity to work on another fruit of the Holy Spirit -- the fruit of faithfulness.

The Lord was moving in that conversation with my husband and friends, the Spirit was alive and well in our thoughts and in our words. 

And what do we need to do in return? We need to remain faithful. 

I'm sitting here, reflecting on that moment from last week, and He's reminding me, "By their fruits you will know them."

Is my fruit bad or good? Is my fruit one of fear or one of courage? Is my fruit a "no" to God's will, or is my fruit faithful to what He asks?

Will I be faithful to His will or will I say, "Not now, not yet, I'm not ready, I'm not equipped?"

Today, I choose faithfulness. I choose to let His fruit grow in my heart, in my soul, in my very being.

What will you choose?

Will you choose faithfulness or fear? Will you choose to remain faithful to our God even if it seems like a wild plan? Will you choose to be faithful even if it seems like the job He's giving you is one you think could be done better by someone else? Will you choose faithfulness even when doubt creeps in?

So let's choose to practice this faithfulness, to say Yes to the small things all the way to the big things. Let's practice faithfulness even when doubt creeps in and we feel surrounded by darkness. Let's practice faithfulness even when we struggle to feel Him near. 

Our faithfulness will grow the more we practice it. Our faithful hearts will get bigger and wider and more receptive to His will and His dreams for our lives.

So let's water our fruits, practice them, cultivate the good soil. And let's grow, together.