KARATE KID

I was driving through my neighbourhood recently and I saw a toddler kicking the wall of the fence to their house. He did not appear to be more than 2 years old. From his regalia, I could deduce that he was either coming from a martial arts training session or going to one. He had his sister giggling beside him. The duo made a lovely sight to behold.

His kicks were not random, instead he was kicking in a measured way that suggested that he was practicing what he had been taught. He was hitting approximately the same spot at the same angle and with the same intensity. In a sense, he was producing the fruits of his training.

You can identify them by their fruit, that is, by the way they act. Can you pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Matthew 7:16 [NLT]

As Christians, everything we do is essentially fruit bearing and the people around us are always checking us out for the validation of the fruits that we bear. We should not be random and impulsive in our actions and reactions. Instead, we should be deliberate and consistent in producing fruits of righteousness at all times. This should not depend on prevailing circumstances. That’s just the way it should be.

Jesus is the vine, and we are the branches. Just as branches do not grow independently in the air but draw all their nourishment and characteristics from the trunk, reflecting what they receive, so too are we called to reflect the life of Jesus in everything we do. For it is in Him that we live, move, and have our being. It is in being with Him that we learn His ways.

He appointed the Twelve, whom he named apostles. He wanted them to be continually at his side as his friends, and so that he could send them out to preach. Mark 3:14 [TPT]

Just like the toddler, our fruits should constantly reflect the training we continually receive as we remain close to Jesus through listening to messages, personal Bible study and meditation, fellowship with other believers, and similar spiritual activities.

Christianity is not a call to strive to live pious lives on our own, we need to stay connected to the vine to keep bearing the fruits that are in keeping with righteousness. If we find ourselves displaying different kinds of fruits depending on where we are or who we are with, we need to check if we are still connected completely to the vine or if we have allowed ourselves to be fed from another contaminated source.

Knowing that the heart is the control centre of everything that we do, including our fruit bearing, David’s prayer should be an essential part of our tool kit as believers:

Examine me, O God, and know my mind. Test me, and know my thoughts. See whether I am on an evil path. Then lead me on the everlasting path. Psalm 139: 23 – 24 [GWT]

God’s grace abounds to us to keep on keeping on as we produce fruits that will show people that we are indeed God’s children.