Growing up, when I thought of trees known for bearing fruit, I always pictured apple trees. But my perspective changed during my senior year of college.

I was on a study abroad trip in Spain. Now, since I don’t come from a background where international travel is the norm, this was the trip of a lifetime for me. We visited four cities while we were there: Madrid, Toledo, Seville, and Barcelona. And let me tell you, going to Barcelona was a dream come true.

Ever since watching The Cheetah Girls 2 as a kid, I just knew I had to visit Park Güell: the film site of the infamous song “Strut.” For any 90s babies here, I’m sure you can understand my excitement.

Surprisingly, Barcelona wasn’t my favorite city on the trip.

It was Seville.

One place we went to in Seville was called the Alcázar of Seville. Between the architecture, the koi fish ponds, and the garden’s landscaping – it was breathtaking.

Now, sis, I’ve never had a green thumb, so there’s no way I could name all the plants I saw. But as I was walking through the garden, I do remember something yellow catching my eye. 

Even now, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a yellow so rich and vivid. As I looked closer, it hit me.

I was looking at lemons.

My eyes widened and my jaw dropped. I’d just stumbled across a lemon tree for the first time, and I was captivated.

I saw plenty of plants in the garden that day, but the lemon trees are what I remember the most. Even though it was surrounded by so many other plants, the lemon tree’s fruit made it stand out.

Thinking back on my trip, I’m reminded that just like the lemon tree, if we are followers of Jesus, our fruit should reflect Him and make us stand out from the crowd.

What does It Mean to Bear Fruit that Reflects Jesus?

• Bear means to produce or bring forth.
• Fruit often refers to our character.
• Reflect means to show an image of something.

So bearing fruit that reflects Jesus means that the character produced in our lives points to the image of Christ.

What Kind of Fruit Reflects Jesus?

Paul writes about the Fruit of the Spirit in Galatians chapter five:

“But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control. There is no law against these things!” (Galatians 5:22-23).

Keep in mind though, sis, it’s the Holy Spirit that produces the fruit. If we’re relying on our own strength to produce God-honoring fruit, it will never happen because we’re imperfect. But with the help of the Holy Spirit, it’s possible to be loving, to show kindness, and to exercise self-control.

I’m not saying it’ll be easy or that we’ll always get it right, but the more we allow the Holy Spirit to lead us, the easier it will become over time.

How can We bear Fruit That Reflects Jesus?

To bear fruit that reflects Jesus, we have to stay connected to Him. Just as our relationships would suffer if we never spent time together, the same principle applies to our relationship with Jesus.

“Remain in Me, and I in you. Just as a branch is unable to produce fruit by itself unless it remains on the vine, neither can you unless you remain in Me” (John 15:4).

To remain means to abide or continue – it’s something that’s constant.

For us to live fruitful lives, we have to do our part. It shouldn’t be a list of dos and don’ts, of course. But to grow spiritually, we have to remain in Jesus.

How can We Remain in Jesus?

Here are some practical ways to remain in Jesus each day:

• After waking up, be intentional about reading a Bible passage or devotional. How often do we grab our phones and head to social media when we first wake up? I’m definitely guilty of it. Rather than having social media be the first thing we see in the morning, let that instead be time we’re spending with God.
• During the day, listen to worship music & Christ-centered podcasts/YouTube channels. The good thing about music, podcasts, and YouTube channels is that we can listen to them while driving to and from work, going to class, or getting dinner at the end of a long day.
• Surround yourself with like-minded believers. It’s unwise to go through life alone, and we need people in our lives with the same goals in mind. Doing this helps build a community of encouragement, support, and accountability.
• Regularly attend a church that helps your spiritual growth. The entire body of believers is the Church, but there’s still great importance in going to the physical church. Being shepherded by those that help us effectively understand the truth of God’s Word is crucial. Because let’s be honest, we can’t always trust that we’re getting Biblical truth from everything we see on the internet. And just like surrounding ourselves with like-minded believers, being connected to a church provides us with the community, encouragement, and accountability we need to grow spiritually.
• Serve others. Not only are we modeling Jesus when we serve, but serving allows us to edify the body of Christ. There are many ways we can serve, but here are a few examples!
  • Serving in church ministries
  • Encouraging your family, friends, coworkers, social media friends, etc.
  • Praying for others
  • Volunteering in your community
  • Cooking for others (if that’s your ministry of course ha!)

Okay, sis. Let’s Recap!

The fruit we bear should reflect Jesus in all we do, but that’s only possible by remaining in Him. Only then are we giving room for the Holy Spirit to produce God-honoring fruit in our lives.

Pause and Reflect

1. Make a list of what your fruit currently looks like vs what you want your fruit to look like. Pray and ask God to help you improve in the areas you listed. Be sure to share your list with a trusted accountability partner!
2. What steps can you take to make sure you’re remaining in Christ each day?