(Fools) will eat the fruit of their ways and be filled with the fruit of their schemes (Proverbs 1:31).

The metaphor of a person's life being like a fruit tree is one of the most poignant and pervasive images from the Bible.  King David talked about a righteous person being like a tree planted by streams of water, yielding its fruit in season (Psalm 1:3)... Jesus told us we can recognize false prophets by their fruit; he said, "Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?  Likewise 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... Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them" (Matthew 7:16-20)... The Apostle Paul, too, talked about fruit -- setting up a very clear distinction between the fruit of the sinful nature and the fruit of the Spirit, ultimately concluding, "A man reaps what he sows.  The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Sprit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.  Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up" (see Galatians chapter 5 and 6, and especially 6:7-9).  The idea of our lives ultimately producing a sort of fruit that will ultimately be consumed by ourselves and others is a very provocative mental picture for me.

What kind of fruit is ripening on the vines of my life?  Am I producing good, life-giving, satisfying fruit?  Or am I life producing bad, stale, or even toxic fruit?

As I reflect on my own personal life, it seems that my fruit is still a work in progress:  some areas of life going relatively well and according to God's plan, but some areas of life going not-so-well and still needing further development.  Most significantly, I realize that my heart does not truly reflect God's heart, when it comes to proclaiming the Good News to those who are lost, when it comes to loving people who are poor and taking care of them, when it comes to living a life of sacrifice... In some of these areas, I realize that my fruit is not mature.  If those fruits were to be plucked from my life right now, they would be very sour, sickening, and unpleasant to consume.  Fortunately, I'm still learning to depend on the power of the Holy Spirit more and more -- which ultimately results in more and more fruit of the Spirit.  And with God's help, I can prune the fruit tree of my life so that it produces better and better fruit.  Still, it's good to be reminded that I do well to welcome -- and even aggressively pursue -- this process of pruning in my life, so that I don't have to be the fool eating the fruit of my ways and becoming filled with the fruit of my (intentional or unintentional) schemes.