To Forgive is to Bear Fruit

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2 Carry each =
other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. 3 If anyone thinks they are something when they are no=
t, they deceive themselves. 4 Each one should te=
st their own actions. Then they can take pride in themselves alone, without=
comparing themselves to someone else, 5 for eac=
h one should carry their own load.

Galatians 6:2-5

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The day before in our text, Jesus =
went to a fig tree to pick its fruit.  Although the leaves were plenti=
ful and the tree robust, no fruit was on it at all.  Jesus cursed the =
tree.  The next day, when the he and the disciples passed by, the tree=
had withered.  This is the context for today’s verse.  Just like=
a fruit tree that bears no fruit is not good, so is also the person who pr=
ays to a forgiving God, who themselves do not forgive.  It is how we b=
ear fruit in our lives.  Some people may be harder to forgive than oth=
ers (hammercy!), and forgiving them may take longer to do, but there’s no g=
etting around it:  God expects us to bear that specific fruit in our e=
veryday living.  Just keep in mind how much (and how often), the Lord =
has had to forgive you…    

O God, I need Your help and Your insights to=
day. Give me a better understanding of how to forgive others, and help me f=
ully forgive from my heart. Just as You have freely forgiven me, I forgive =
them. Father, I ask you to forgive me for hurting others out of my own hurt=
and to heal my relationships, in Jesus name,   AMEN

Rev. Jeffrey Brown

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