Flourishing in Fruit: Our Words Are Our Fruit (Part 1)

    Over the past few weeks we have looked at how our conduct is our fruit:

• Fruit of repentance (Matthew 3:8) – making the changes that prove that we have turned our backs to ungodliness and worldly lusts (Titus 2:11-12, 2 Timothy 2:22) while clinging to what is good (Romans 12, John 14:6)
• Fruit of righteousness (Philippians 1:9-11, 2 Corinthians 9:9-11) – doing what is right in God’s sight, according to His commands and instructions (James 1:21-25, 1 John 3:7)
• Fruit of good works (Colossians 1:9-11) – doing good for others, generously sharing our blessings with them (Psalm 68:19, 2 Corinthians 9:7-8)

    Now, I would like you to consider another fruit we all produce: words, “the fruit of our lips” (Hebrews 13:15)

    We live in a world in which communication has become everything. While most communication devices were at one time tethered to a wall in our houses, technology has advanced to a point where we now carry these devices with us at all times – you may even be reading this post on your device. There was a time when we only had phone calls during the daylight hours, a time when we were content to wait for mailed letters to arrive, and a time when television stations shut off all programming after the 11 o’clock news, but now we have access to all sorts of communication on our devices twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, and when emails or texts are sent, instantaneous replies are now expected no matter the time of day or night.

    In Part 1 of this series I would like you to consider the fruit you bear online, because if you type it, it’s your fruit, and if you click ‘share,’ ‘like,’ or ‘love,’ you are endorsing it, and it becomes your fruit as well, as it is seen by others. Think about the things you look at and the things you post, like, and share, are they things that God would approve of? Are they befitting a Christian?

    Every person with access can now communicate to the world whatever is in their heart – and those words are not always good, yet they are still put on display and even promoted in the seemingly endless ‘fruit’ market of social media. What sort of fruit are you taking to this market? Are you trying your best to post (and share) things that will uplift others, and/or shine God’s light? Or are you using social media to share rude humour, complain, vent, or rant? We need to be mindful of the words we share!

“With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so.” (James 3:9-10 NKJV)

    Christians are commanded to meditate on what is true, noble, just, pure, lovely, of good report, virtuous, and praiseworthy (Philippians 4:8), we are to purify ourselves (1 John 3:3) and keep ourselves pure (2 Timothy 2:19-21), and be holy in all our conduct (1 Peter 1:15-16) – this includes our time online. We need to be especially careful of what we allow into our minds and hearts as we scroll through posts and videos because what we allow to be communicated to us will, in turn, become what we communicate to others (consider 1 Corinthians 15:33, Psalm 1:1, Proverbs 26:22). Our words are our fruit and development of that fruit begins in our heart (Matthew 12:33-35) – we bear fruit as we communicate online.  

“A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things. But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak. They will give account of it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” (Matthew 12:35-37 NKJV)

    What are you consuming in the world’s fruit market? Are you finding the fruit that is good and wholesome; fruit that will nourish your soul and give you a healthy storehouse from which you draw your words? Or are you grazing your way through the buffet of filthy fruit that will deteriorate your storehouse and cause you to form bad thoughts, words, and habits?

    Think on these things this week! Our words are important – God knows every single one of them – so, from this very day, determine to be even more mindful to use your time wisely (Ephesians 5:15-17) and be watchful of the words you ‘bear’ online!

You can do it! So can I!!