“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.”
— John 12:24
To Timothy, my genuine child in the faith: Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
— First Timothy 1:2
In our serving life, we must learn the difference between two things: bearing fruit in life, and producing fruit by working.
What is the difference? Suppose you talk about a brother you have cared for. You say that you love him, you have helped him, and you have raised him up. Then you go on to say that he is your fruit. However, it is really up to him to say whether he is your fruit. Why? Because a father does not need to remind his son, “I am your father.” The son knows who his father is. If someone is really your fruit, then he will call you his father.
Adapted from the online series, Serving the Lord as a Seed, Message two, page 3.
Tomorrow: “Bearing Fruit and Begetting Children (1)”