True faith follows. False faith may lead, but it will not follow. Many teach what they do not do. Many command others, but remain themselves with sinful feet. The good can bring good, but their deeds do not bring salvation. Do not be made a fool, for those who possess little faith will bear little fruit. Look carefully at the bushel baskets of the proud, for though his baskets may be many, empty they are to My Kingdom. Look carefully also of your own, for that which is a measure, as also too your own. Great fruit is borne of the tree of obedience. Salvation is of My hand, but the harvest is of the righteous. He who accepts the gift, but plows not his field, he who receives the seed, but plants not in season, little is his fruit. Do not squander what is your own, and do not follow those who squander. They themselves follow at a distance, but speak loudly of closeness. They spur on the saints, but linger in sin. These are the last of the Kingdom, for they do not abide fully in the vine. Their baskets are adorned, but light for fruit. Let this not be the way of the redeemed. Let He who is called – follow nearly, and he who is redeemed – plant deeply, for the harvest of the diligent will overflow, and the baskets of the obedient will burst as the net. True faith yields a pleasing harvest.
John 15:8 (ESV) – By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.
Bottom Line: Jesus gave us a sure-fire way to measure fruit. He said that a good tree will not bear bad fruit, and vice-versa. We are not talking about whether someone appears “successful” or not. In our culture it is easy to misread worldly success as God’s blessing, and fame for God’s favor on someone’s life. This may appear fruitful in a financial sense, but it is just the opposite in the Kingdom sense. The real test: inspect the baskets. We are called to bear fruit, and to have a true, positive Kingdom-influence on those around us – at work and at home, for Him.
