A TRAVELING, FRUITFUL TREE

Jesus used the analogy of The Tree in Matthew 7:17-20 to have us gauge our character. He said, "...every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them." So, what kind of tree are you? What kind of fruit do you produce? Does your life attract fruit lovers?

Paul encourages us to be a portable tree of many fruits. In Galatians 5:22-23, he lists many ingredients, characteristics or fruits of God's Spirit that should flow from a believer's life. 

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law."

Joy is a wonderful fruit to bear in one's life and having just a Joy Tree would be nice but our God is a God of Abundance! There are other fruits God desires us to possess and share with each other. This list continues with - love, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

There are some people who are like this tree. I find their company, presence and everything that surrounds them to be just what I need. Their humor matches mine, their serious talk matches mine, their tolerance matches mine and their peaceful demeanor matches mine. I believe we all need to be and have this kind of person or tree in our lives.

The key to an excellent, fruit-producing, edifying tree or person is the Source of The Root System. Read what the Holy Spirit had David write (Psalm 1:1-4) -

"Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither—whatever they do prospers."

Do you see the equation here? The one who is completely enthralled with God's Word and turns it over and over in their mind during the day and night is like this Tree that is being personified. The Tree is well nourished by Living Water, produces its fruit at the proper time, the tree is preserved by God - meaning our attractiveness or leaf doesn't wither and God's favor is upon its life.

So, are you a "good tree" or "bad tree" as I earlier put forth by Christ? Hopefully, you are a good tree or at aspiring to be that good tree. If this is the case, your roots need to go down to The River that never will run dry - God's Holy Spirit. Then as you soak and meditate in God's Word, He will develop in you the many different fruits He desires to harvest from you as - A Traveling, Fruitful Tree.