Is your "fruit" obvious?
Proverbs 11:30--There are some passages that on the surface seem simple, but as we dig deeper the complexity and beauty would take an eternity to discover.
This is one of those verses.
Let's begin with the "fruit of the righteous." What is the fruit of the righteous? The all-encompassing source of our righteousness comes from our Heavenly Father through the blood atonement of His Son and our Savior Yeshua (Jesus) (Philippians 1:11).
His robe of righteousness covers us (Isaiah 61:10). It's His righteousness that goes before us when we present ourselves to the Holy, Creator of the Universe.
So how do we walk righteously? What does the fruit of that righteousness look like? The whole of Scripture has much to say on this--some you may be surprised to learn. The following is barely scratching the surface. I hope it will give you a taste to learn more.
A common theme of a righteous person is integrity. Throughout the Psalms and Proverbs, integrity is a primary characteristic. A person of integrity speaks the truth, is honest, discrete, moral, and trustworthy.
Another common theme is justice.Throughout the Old Testament writings and Prophets, justice for all is a Godly attribute. Isaiah 58 is one of the most profound texts, rife with vivid examples of what justice looks like. But what is most striking is how relevant these examples are for today.
Reading this chapter in Isaiah ties so beautifully to the second half of Proverbs 11:30--"whoever wins souls is wise."
If we truly strive to walk righteously, the fruit--the eternal fruit--will direct souls to the GOD who loves them. Walking righteously could change hearts, change families, change cities, change countries. The righteousness that is freely offered by our loving Father through the selfless sacrifice of His Son.
And, that's where this all leads, doesn't it? ADONAI. The only place to begin and the reward of our end.
May the fruit of righteousness be obvious to all, my friends.
Proverbs 11:30--The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and whoever wins souls is wise. Tree of Life Bible Society Tree of Life Version - TLV #tlvbible#tlvproverbs
[WATCH Tree of Life Bible Society's CEO, Daniah Greenberg and me, Terri Gillespie, Author dig a little deeper with this proverb. Check us out at Tree of Life Bible Society, Monday through Friday, LIVE at 8:30am EST. Watch previous episodes there as well. Stay wise, my friends!]

Comments
Post a Comment