Day 27: Jesus, Our Fruit Producer

About a month ago, my aunt sent me a prayer request from a ten-year-old girl. The little girl’s request touched the heart of everyone so much that the pastor asked all the believers in the congregation to join her in the request. 

My aunt told me her story and I couldn’t help but share the little girl’s request with others. On one of my prayer calls, we discussed how much this little girl reminded us of a pure faith in Christ Jesus. 

While I nor any of the people in my prayer circle have ever met this little girl, she touched our lives and impacted the way we approach God. Her request was simple but in its simplicity, it bore much fruit by connecting people in one common goal and by causing them to consider the content of their prayer life. 

What was her prayer? When she came forth in church to give her life to Christ, the pastor asked if she had any prayer concerns. Without missing a beat, she asked God to help her mom get her life together. 

Before the ink was even put on her membership paperwork, before she asked for a Christmas present or some other material thing, this little girl asked for another person to experience the love of Christ Jesus. 

I’m sure this little girl didn’t have John 15:16 in mind when she came forward as a new believer and as a prayer warrior, but her actions embody the meaning of this text, which says, “You didn’t choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you could go and produce fruit and so that your fruit could last. As a result, whatever you ask the Father in my name, he will give you.”  

This little girl’s prayer request teaches us some valuable lessons about the meaning of John 15:16. First, she reminded us that we have been chosen by Christ. God did the choosing, way back with the children of Israel. Before we thought to come to Christ, we were already chosen by God and already loved by God. 

Second, we are reminded that we were chosen for a purpose. We were not chosen to just sit around and collect dust. Our salvation is a call to ministry. We are called by God to recognize the work of Christ and to share that work with others. 

While salvation is personal it is not private. Our salvation is meant to bear public witness to the love of Christ through his sacrifice on our behalf. And, we are meant to bear fruit by sharing this Good News with others. 

Finally, our prayers bear fruit as a result of our relationship with Christ. Asking for something apart from our relationship with Christ and expecting to bear godly fruit is pointless. And, we actually don’t produce the fruit. Only God can produce godly fruit. We produce nothing on our own. God is the producer.  

For the record, the fruit of this little girl’s request was seen the following week, when her mom came to church. And, while this mom’s total restoration is a work in progress, there is no doubt in anyone’s mind that her actions will bear much fruit that will last. 

Today, as you reflect, what fruit is God asking you to allow him to produce through you in this moment, in this season, and/or in your lifetime as a testament to being in relationship with Christ Jesus, Our Fruit Producer.