…filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.
Philippians 1:11 NIV
Filled With Fruit
Saskatchewan prairie cherries are traditional Canadian sour cherries. They can survive temperatures as low as -40C and can be eaten straight from the tree. The cherries are small and grow on short bushes. The fruit is deep red in colour and it’s ripe from late July to early August. The flavour is more tart than other traditional sweet cherries. When cooked at high temperatures, they maintain the intense flavour and colour. The cherries are often used in cookies and pies.
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There are few gifts as lovely as an overflowing fruit basket, filled with fresh produce from the farm. Here in the depth of a Canadian winter, we look forward to the fruit-growing months when the bounty of fresh produce graces our homes. So, it shouldn’t surprise us that the Bible often uses fruit as a picture of a full, rich relationship with Jesus Christ and others in His family. The apostle Paul deals with this in the early verses in his letter to the Christians in Philippi. He speaks of his agape, godly love for them and prays that they will love each other with that same love. He then goes on to tell them what they can expect if they genuinely love each other this way – the ability to clearly discern God’s will, the assurance of standing blameless before Jesus on the day He returns, and finally, bringing glory to Jesus by being filled with His righteousness. He puts it this way in Philippians 1:11: “…filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ – to the glory and praise of God.”
These have been words from the heart.
Bob Beasley