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God’s given us all talents, abilities, gifts, money, you name it. While they’re all given to us in varying measures, we’re all responsible for how we use what God has given us. The “fruit” of our lives is what our lives produce (no pun intended) when we are seeking to make Jesus’ name known…

Luke 13:6-9

6 And he told this parable: “A man had t a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none. 7 And he said to the vinedresser, ‘Look, for three years now I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and I find none. u Cut it down. Why should it use up the ground?’ 8 And he answered him, ‘Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and put on manure. 9 Then if it should bear fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.’”

If there’s no fruit to be found on the tree, it’s going to be cut down because it’s a bad tree. I’d hate to be the “bad tree” that gets cut down. God has been gracious to us, but it’s nothing we should bank on, saying to ourselves, “God is merciful, I can use my money/talents/influence/etc. for Him later…”

That’s a dangerous game to play.

If we’re not living our lives to glorify God, a time of “pruning” may come (John 15:2), where God begins the sometimes-painful process of taking away the parts of us that don’t glorify Him. God may shift the foundations around us, making it uncomfortable and painful, and might even throw some “manure” (crap/garbage/etc.) our way to see if we come out on the other side praising Him. But if there’s no fruit being produced, the tree is coming down…

How are you bearing fruit in your life, and how are you using the gifts God has given you for HIS GLORY?