“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit....” John 15:5
I recently heard this quote: “Patience isn’t waiting. It’s how you act while you are.” That can be quite convicting if you are given to displays of impatience. And, as I’ve found with all the other fruits of the Spirit, God does well with putting us in situations where His patience can be developed in us.
We can be grateful for John 15 and the wealth of wisdom it gives us concerning spiritual fruit. Jesus says: “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 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…. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.”
Jesus goes on to tell us, “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…. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.”
These verses ensure us that it is God’s responsibility to produce His fruit in us. He’s capable of doing what’s required to enable us to bear much fruit in order that He may be glorified. However, we do have a responsibility: we are to remain in Him. Unlike what we may be able to produce through self-effort, His fruit will not give way to impatience under pressure.
Father, thank You for the wisdom of Your Word. Help us to know it well. May we find direction and discernment through it, concerning every issue of life — including how to bear fruit for Your glory. Amen.
Take Action
Read John 15. Let the truth of His word bear fruit in you today!