The Truth About Bearing Fruit and What’s Real Success

“Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing” John 15:5.

As I stand at the base of the garden, listening to the quite of the evening, meditating on the words of Jesus in John 15:5, I realized there were half-truths I believed about this verse.

First, I focus so often on the producing fruit part, that I miss apart from me you can do nothing. Did you know that the word nothing in the Greek meanings nothing? Like we can do nothing without Him. Zero. Zip. Yet, how often do we attempt to produce “fruit” through our productivity?

We want to bear fruit. We want to do great things for God. Sometimes, though, because of our ambitious drive and our lack of abiding in Him, we begin to feel as if we are falling short in the Kingdom. We look around and think others are “bearing more fruit than me.” Envy, competition, strife, and jealousy creep in, stealing our joy and peace. We compare and compete and see God as a taskmaster whose love for us is based on performance rather than pure love for us.

Second, I didn’t want to admit it, but the word fruit was confusing me. Instead of feeling joy and peace I was feeling tired and worn-out. Even provoking anxiety and a sense of guilt within because I wasn’t measuring up. Was I bearing fruit for the kingdom? I was losing sight of the beautiful everyday moments. What if it’s not all about the fruit we produce?

Recently, I heard a friend talking about another author who had developed a big following, “She’s been so faithful so of course she is bearing fruit and given more opportunities.”

I’m not sure how, but in the western world, we have developed a false doctrine around fruit-bearing, it now equals having a huge following, a big ministry, increased opportunities, well-behaved children, and financial blessings. Pretty much in our minds, fruit-bearing now means an easy trial free life based on our own abilities.

The unfortunate assumption that many of us carry around from such theology is that the ordinary, daily day-in-and-day-out work is not essential. What counts is the big accomplishments. Because after all bigger is better, right?

As I have mediated and studied the verses in John chapter 15, I’ve found the fruit Jesus’ speaks of has nothing to do with accomplishments, a pain-free life, or big ministry. The branch’s purpose is to bear much fruit, but the next verses show us that this fruit is the consequence of prayer, and is to the Father’s glory.

DA Carson, from his book The Gospel according to John explains it this way:

“This suggest that the “fruit” in the vine imagery represents everything that the product of effective prayer in Jesus name, including obedience to Jesus, commands (v10), experience of Jesus’ joy (v11-as earlier his peace, 14:27), love for one another (v12), and witness to the world (vv 16, 27).

 This fruit is nothing less than the outcome of persevering dependence on the vine, driven by faith, embracing all of the believer’s life and the product of his witness.”

 John Piper’s words speak loud, “The inwardly abiding word is a truth of Scripture believed, cherished, and rolled back and forth in the imagination until its implications spill over into our daily life as love and joy and peace and righteousness.”

 We deceive ourselves when we are so busy doing good things and calling it fruit bearing.

When in reality real fruit has nothing to do with our accomplishments and everything to do with our dependency on the Father. Before Jesus performed a single miracle, He was already loved. Jesus brought pleasure to the Father by surrendering control and abiding in the Father.

It’s not about what we do for Him. The real success is in glorifying Him wherever we are and enjoying commune with Him. Because the real fruit: love, joy, peace, and righteousness is found only in Him, already provided.

My challenge is to be broken and given in the small everyday moments where no one sees, and there is no applause. Where it’s just Jesus and me. He’s teaching me how to be content and fully present, staying in fellowship with Him through prayer. After all, you never see the branch worrying if fruit will produce, that is the vine dresser’s job. What matters is we remain connected to the vine, regardless of the fruit we think we should bear.

I think of my ninety-five-year-old grandma who for forty-years served in the church kitchen and taught Sunday school with deep joy and commitment. Her impact is felt not in a moment of greatness, but rather for all those years she was a continuous learner staying connected to the vine and allowing the vinedresser to mold her and shape her very being.

There in the garden, I feel God inviting me to let go of the goal, and let Him love me instead. Could He be inviting you too?

Good fruit requires of us to pour out our lives in love for Him, not just for the significant opportunities or accomplishments, but in the ordinary, mundane rhythms of doing what needs to be done, each day and each week, all for the glory of God. And that is enough!