Go Out on a Limb!

Galatians 5:22-23: "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control, against such things there is no law."

I was raised on a ranch.  On that ranch they grew grapes, oranges, lemons, apples, pears, and other sorted fruits.  I learned a valuable lesson while living there.  If you want the fruit, you have to go out on a limb. 

The same is true in our spiritual walk.  To be all that God wants you to be you must go out on a limb.  It is on the limb where the fruit grows.  It is on the limb where you will find the evidence of what type of fruit is growing.  I don’t mean to test your intelligence here but orange trees grow oranges, and lemon trees grow lemons and grape vines grow grapes, right?  It is by their fruit that you know them.

Jesus said the same of us, “It is by our fruit that we are known?”  What type of fruit is growing on your tree?  To say that you are a Christian and have hatred in your heart, or be joyless, or lack peace, or be unkind, or lack self-control, or show no gentleness is like saying you are an orange tree but on the limb hang lemons or to say you are an apple tree but on the limb hand grapefruits. 

Let’s make sure we are showing the evidence of who we claim to be.  Dare to go out on a limb!

Pastor Rick