Matthew 13:23

 As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.

Well, I got mostly packed last night, down to the wire. In that I stayed up way to late last night and opted to sleep in this morning. That being said, short blog this morning ha ha.

So I open my bible and I happen to be in Matthew and my eyes rest upon this verse. What jumped off the page at me was grace, because what I was drawn to is the distinction made regarding the quality of what we produce, not the quantity.

Whether it be little or much, good fruit is good fruit, it cannot come from a bad tree.

To me, that is grace. Being a lifelong codependent, seeking self worth in the opinions of others, it comes natural for me to take that striving to over-produce posture with God.

If I help at least 3 people, give away at least $20, volunteer at least an hour of my time, read at least one book in the bible… (insert your “good” thing here), then I will have done enough for God today and I can rest.

Yes we were made for works, but God is looking at the heart behind the works. I believe this passage makes it clear that good fruit is in the act of producing good fruit, not a struggle and striving to produce enough fruit to be saved or forgiven or accepted or loved or… (insert your emptiness here).

To love someone is to engage with them, to spend time with them, to truly hear what they have to say when they need to share and be open and honest with them when they are interested in how we are doing.

I was touched deeply by Ed’s Story (Flannel Films: https://flannel.org/products/eds-story-1-3)

Seven incredibly moving short documentaries about a Pastor who is diagnosed with ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease) and his open and inspiringly personal first person sharing of what he is learning through that journey.

In one, the fruit he describes is not the preaching to the thousands in a mega church as he did for so long, but learning the incredible beauty and grace found in connecting with the one.

Today on my heart is that we each slow down, make eye contact and a connection with everyone God places in our path.

Let’s take our time to be intentional and purposeful in everything we touch today, not just rush through the things in front of us in a worry-hurry-scurry manner to the next, the next, the next.

Prayers and blessings this day my friends.

George

p.s. I can’t recommend enough checking out the short trailer which shares what Ed’s Story is all about.

https://flannel.org/products/eds-story-1-3