| Strength and Beauty |
Chapter 11 |
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What is fruitfulness in the spiritual sense? It is more than Christian activities. There are many people who are active in Christian duty, faithful, diligent, energetic, who yet do not bear in their own life and character the fruits of the Spirit. There are some persons who are ever busy in doing good, whose lives are useful and full of helpfulness for others, who yet lack the graces of the finest and best spiritual culture. St. Paul enumerates among the fruits of the Spirit, “love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance.”
No doubt true fruitfulness ordinarily includes Christian activities. We are to go about doing good, as our Master did. It is necessary in order to the best life that we should use our gifts and talents in all possible forms of helpfulness, to make the world better, and to give comfort, strength, or cheer to other lives. At the same time it is essential for truest faithfulness that the life shall also bear the fruits of the Spirit. Martha was intensely active in her serving, but she lacked at least one of the qualities which belong to true fruitfulness – the quiet of God in her heart.
What is the purpose of fruit? It is not merely for ornament or decoration. The fruit of trees is for the feeding of men’s hunger. The same test should be applied to Christian life. It is not enough to bear fruit merely for the adornment of our character or the beautifying of our own life. Fruit for fruit’s sake is not the motto. We are to do all things for the glory of God. The glory of God, however, embraces also the good of others. The commandments of love to God and love to our neighbor are linked together in one. He who loves God will love his neighbor also. Therefore it is no sufficient motive in fruit bearing that it be for the honoring of God’s name. We cannot honor God’s name except by living for others. Hence we must bear fruit which will be a blessing to others, which will feed the hunger of human hearts.
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