Fruit

"So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit."
-Matthew 7:17
      I recently read an article that was about harsh truths that will make you a better person. While the author had different topics, they all pointed to one thing; fruit. I don't mean actually fruit, but what fruit represents. In the Bible, Jesus talks about trees and their fruit, but He is not referring to real trees. The trees represent people, specifically Christians. The fruits represent the things that the person has done. This is a very good analogy, so I will use it throughout this post.
      People value many things in others, but everyone expects something from us. People appreciate that we are nice, kind, loving, good-looking or whatever, but what people really want is something from us. They want to know what you are doing to help them or help society. This is why people respect people with jobs like being a teacher, policemen, doctor, etc. These jobs help other people and contribute to society. People want what you can give, not necessarily you. It's a sad truth, but it is a truth.
      Let me give an example of this. I'm not picking on these kinds of people, but they are a good example of the point I want to make. Often times, I hear people say something like "you know, the best thing I can do for them is pray for them." While praying for others is great, and I have absolutely no issues with that, they can do more than that. Sure, it's nice that they have good intentions, but good intentions don't always do people good. Prayers can definitely help people, but I believe God answers prayers through action. Sitting back and waiting for God to do something isn't always the best way to approach things. Go out and do something for that person. Prove that you believe in what you are praying for, and let God work in you.
      Jesus said He is the vine, but you are the branches. While the vine is the life of the plant, the fruit grows on the branches. We have to be constantly with God in order to produce fruit, but we cannot always just sit back and expect things to happen. Jesus commands us to love, and love is not a passive thing. No one says they love their wife and then do nothing about it. They show their love to their wife in different ways. In the same way, we cannot just say we love people, or we want to help people, or I can't do anything for people. God has a way to use you, and you will never find it doing nothing. Find a way to love other people practically, and I believe God will show you the way He wants to use you. Go out and bear fruit.
-Smart