Character

John 15:4-5 Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing.


This passage is part of the pastoral prayer of Jesus in the upper room before leaving for the Garden of Gethsemane. If you were to read the whole prayer looking for links you would find most of the fruit of the spirit Paul lists in Galatians. I think often people interpret this passage to mean evangelism, but I think the fruit Jesus desires is our character. If we abide in him we will develop his character through his indwelling spirit. I think the presence of his character in a person will certainly bring others to want to know Christ.

I also think Jesus means it when he says we will bear much fruit. These desirable trait and characteristics will be hanging all over us. They won't be hard to find or difficult to notice. They will be abundant and plentiful to all we meet. They won't be obvious just in easy or good times but rather in every moment and circumstance. I've heard people say I'm a character. I hope at least sometimes it is for the right reasons.