”The love of money is a root of all kinds of evil…” I Timothy 6:10
What is tricky about money is we need it to survive - we just can’t love it or we will have problems. The pursuit of money leads us down a bad road. Certainly, money will always be in the ‘car’, but it should never be in the front seat, and never behind the wheel - that place rightfully belongs to the Lord alone. This is why Jesus told us, ‘You cannot serve both God and money.’ Even though money can be a problem, God created a system of currency so the fruit of our labor is recognized in the community. In God’s community, our currency is the fruit of our lives (words and actions). This is why Jesus said it is by your fruit…
YOU ARE KNOWN…
”…By their fruit you will recognize them.” Matthew 7:20
It is very difficult to know someone just by their words, but you can be certain who they are by what they do. The saying is true, ‘Actions speak louder than words’. In this passage, Jesus spoke about trees and how they are only truly judged by their produce (fruit). The fruit Jesus is referring to is a person’s conduct. Relating to God’s Kingdom, our conduct, more than our confession is most telling of our convictions. James 2:14 asserts, ‘What good is it, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds.’ The application of this is - what difference does it make if you are a Christian, and also a huge jerk to people? Would that fruit (produce) buy you any good will?
…AND KNOW FAVOR.
”…What does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” Micah 6:8
This verse is about our conduct before people and God. To act justly means to treat others as you want to be treated - the golden rule (Matthew 7:12). To love mercy is to treat others well even if they do not reciprocate. By these we will walk humbly before the Lord. It is by our fruit that we ‘buy’ favor in our relationships. But bearing good fruit is not natural, which is why we need the Holy Spirit to help us. There are nine ‘fruits of the Spirit’ listed and it is through each one of these that we gain great wealth.
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