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“Four Things We Can Do To Be More Fruitful”
Four Things We Can Do To Be More Fruitful
Wade Webster
The Lord wants us to be fruitful. In fact, He wants us to bear much fruit. On one occasion, Jesus declared, “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples” (John 15:5-8). I’m afraid that many of us fall far short of the production that the Lord wants. Some of us are producing little to no fruit. Very, very few of us are producing much fruit. Seeing that this is the case, we should be asking what we can do to become more fruitful. Let me suggest a few things.
Cultivation - In the Parable of the Fig Tree, the husbandman offered to dig around the fig tree to try to make it more productive (Lk. 13:6-9). Digging around the fig tree would break up the soil and soften it. Digging around the fig tree would root up the weeds that were stealing vital nutrients from the fig tree and that were trying to choke it out. Digging around the fig tree would also have aerated the soil. Perhaps, our hearts have become hard and need to be softened (Mat. 13:15). Maybe, we have allowed worldly thoughts to infiltrate our hearts and to rob our lives of heavenly things (1 Pet. 2:11). The weeds of worldliness may be slowly choking out our love and zeal for God. Maybe, our spiritual lives have stagnated and we need for God to breathe new life into us (Hab. 3:2).
Fertilizer - Also, in the Parable of the Fig Tree, the husbandman offered to dung or fertilize the fruitless fig tree to get it to start producing (Lk. 13:6-9). Maybe , that is what we need. Perhaps, we are running low on some vital nutrients like faith, zeal, and love (Rev. 2:4; 2 Pet. 1:5-8). Maybe, they have been depleted over time and need to be replenished.
Water - As you know, plants need water. This is especially true in a dry and thirsty land like Palestine (Psa. 63:1). Trees and plants that don’t receive enough water will wilt and stop producing fruit. Trees that get sufficient water won’t have these problems (Psa. 1:3). Maybe, we need some water. Perhaps, we need the water of encouragement. We need the refreshment that comes from Christian fellowship (Rom. 15:32; Phile. 1:7).
Pruning - Sometimes trees, vines, and plants need pruning to produce more fruit. In discussing the vine and the branches, Jesus declared, “Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit” (John 15:2).
If pruning doesn’t take place the tree or the vine may produce all plant and no fruit. It can become nothing but leaves (Mark 11:13). Maybe, we need a little pruning. Perhaps , there are some things that need to be cut back in our lives to make us fruitful again. For example, maybe we need to cut back on some of the time that we are spending on earthly things that we might use that time to bear fruit for God (Eph. 5:16; Col. 3:1-2; Hag. 1).
We all need to examine our fruit production. If we are not producing much fruit for God, then we need to consider what we can do to become more productive. Perhaps, the four things mentioned in this article can help.
