One of the most beautiful word pictures in the Bible speaks to this organic system as a metaphor for how the believer should grow and reproduce. In John 15:1-8 Jesus talks about the vine, branches and fruit - an integrated biological system in which the fruit is the abundant product of life that is derived from the nutrients in the soil.
The branch receives its life from the vine; believers must depend on the life of Christ within to find their spiritual life. The fruit nourishes other and contains the seeds of its own continued life. The life of Christ nourishes us, and reproduces His life in others.
If any part of the system malfunctions, the byproduct of fruit will fail to appear.
Jesus chose us and appointed us in order to go and bear fruit (15:16). As leaders, we have the dual responsibility of bearing fruit ourselves and helping others do the same. We must be more than faithful; we must be fruitful.
Are you a fruitful leader?
No comments:
Post a Comment