Last year at this time, our entire fruit crop of apples and pears was decimated by hungry squirrels. My son took offense to this and set about trying to trap them, studied their behavior, changed the bait, etc and after a couple months started catching them, eventually leading to 7 being removed. If you grow crops or have a garden, you find out there are many things that can go against having a bountiful harvest, including pests, disease, bad soil, bad weather, too much or not enough rain, and other factors. Despite all these things, we often engage in the process and try to have something to show for it at the end of each season. I’ve read stories from the dust bowl era with year after year of drought and economic hardships eventually leading to many families leaving what they knew to look for more productive work elsewhere. How long would you stick with something before finally giving up on it…4 months, 4 years, even 40 years?
For the people of Israel walked forty years in the wilderness, until all the nation, the men of war who came out of Egypt, perished, because they did not obey the voice of the Lord; the Lord swore to them that he would not let them see the land that the Lord had sworn to their fathers to give to us, a land flowing with milk and honey. Joshua 5:6
If you are at all like me, none of us like to spend much of our time, energy, and money on things that are unproductive and fruitless. Yet, when we look back in hindsight or take a closer look at what we are doing now, we find that there definitely have been and likely still are things we are doing that are not helpful to us or those we care about. We should grow in wisdom as we experience life and try not to make the same mistakes that we did before, or that we see others making right before our eyes. We see the toll that addiction takes on lives, yet many still get pulled into it. I’ve enjoyed many video games since I was a kid, but have experienced how they can gobble up time and have decided its not what I want as a regular part of my life for the past 20 years. We may pour time and energy into certain relationships and question if it is worth the effort at times. There are many things in our lives that can prove unproductive, despite our best efforts, but hopefully there are as many examples of how our toil has proven fruitful as well. What have been some of the most rewarding returns from your labors?
And he told them many things in parables, saying: A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them. Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil, but when the sun rose they were scorched. And since they had no root, they withered away. Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. Other seeds fell on good soil and produced grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. He who has ears, let him hear. Matthew 13:3-9
So, what can we do to nurture a productive and fruitful life? If the things coming out of your mouth and your actions are not helpful to you or others, repent and seek to change the things that are causing negative thoughts, feelings, and actions. First, make sure the things going into your life (what you read, listen to, and watch) are fostering growth and health, and not things that promote fear, anger, jealousy, greed, and selfishness, etc. Engage in prayer and time in the word both on your own and with others, so that you can be accountable for the things you do and say. Set goals and continue the desire to learn and grow in your faith. Pray that God would continue to refine your life and relationships with others, so that they will notice the fruit in your life, desire the same, and praise God for the work He has done!
A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Matthew 7:18-19
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23
Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men. Colossians 3:23
Yours in Christ,
Clark
