Patience in Bearing Fruit

by Zeke Flores

The parable of the sower and the seed is popular, and for good reason. It's not hard to see the various attitudes and personalities in the different soils offered in the parable. However, as Luke explains Jesus's story, it's the last sentence that is sometimes hardest for me. The reason is that Jesus says that growth takes time and effort.

A person can indeed move from lost to saved in a heartbeat, from profane to pious, from unholy to holy. But sanctification is a lifetime process; sometimes, truth be told, it moves a little too slowly for me. I want to be a spiritual giant, to offer sage and spiritual advice to others, to show patience with those who slip from time to time, and to offer the gospel to a world that sorely needs it, even when few seem to want to listen. In other words, I want to bear fruit in my life that offers the outliving of the in-living Christ. But again, that takes time and work and more work and more time.

I've had to exercise a lot of patience and perseverance lately, but as followers of Christ, we all have our struggles and vices. Some we can overcome right away, others may take years or even a lifetime to conquer. I'm glad that Jesus is a patient farmer because the fruit He's tending in me is taking a little longer than I wish it did. But I'm glad He's still working on, and with, me.

So, I'll try to be honest and patient in my journey, knowing that, in time, there will be ripened fruit that accompanies the gospel.

"As for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patience" (Luke 8:15).