“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.” Galatians 5:22–23
A while back, I met a man determined to convince me that he was a good Christian. He claimed to have dedicated most of his life to “serving God.” Naturally, I was eager to talk with him about his personal relationship with Christ. But when I asked, “Who is God to you?” his response was…to begin “impressive” name-dropping.
He talked about working with Joel Osteen, Benny Hinn, and other well-known figures. Every story revolved around his connections, travels, and experiences with impressive, “big names.” When I pressed him further about his personal walk with God, he simply kept telling stories about his life around other people.
Not once did I hear a testimony of God’s goodness, nor mention of transformation, nor expression of intimacy with Jesus. I finally quit asking questions. If I had been searching for God that day, I wouldn’t have been any closer to finding Him after that conversation. The next morning, during my quiet time with the Lord, He gently confronted me with a series of questions:
- “When people meet YOU, do they hear about ME?”
- “Do they see ME when they see YOU?”
- “Do they sense MY presence in YOUR life?”
- “Do you talk more about ME… or about YOURSELF?”
- “Whose name are you dropping, My child?”
This encounter humbled me. I realized how easy it is—even with good intentions—to slip into self-promotion. But the truth is, without God, I don’t have much of anything impressive to offer anyone. With Him, though—I have everything to give.
In God’s presence, we become vessels of His Spirit—flowing with the kind of life that refreshes weary souls. People don’t encounter the real Jesus because we mention celebrities or titles. They see Him when we overflow with the fruit of His Spirit—HIS love, joy, peace, kindness…etc. Jesus made it simple for us to know who we are about:
“You will know them by their fruits.” Matthew 7:16
He warns us to be watchful—not of a person’s reputation, popularity, or public ministry—but of their fruit. Love. Joy. Peace. Patience. Kindness. Goodness. Faithfulness. Gentleness. Self-control. These traits can’t be faked for long—if at all. And they’re not produced by human willpower—they’re the result of God being manifested through us. We cannot produce God’s fruit until two events happen: 1. We must be born again; and 2. We must grow in the attitudes and mind of Christ.
When staying close to the Spirit of God is our most treasured possession, His presence spills out in every part of our life. It touches how we think and speak, how we treat others, how we serve, and how we suffer. Eternal fruit is not measured by crowds or platforms—but by the salvation of souls and multiplied disciples. People are drawn by the love, joy, and peace we manifest, fruit is produced in the salvation and discipleship of souls.
How are you doing with this?
When we seek God with all our heart, He becomes the most impressive thing about us. And when people encounter us, they encounter Him. That’s the kind of impression that makes a real difference and bears eternal fruit.
Today’s Challenge:
Evaluate your life so far this month. Has the overall message reflected you, or has it reflected Jesus? Ask God to help you surrender every area of your life so that He is being represented in every area. Then, step aside and watch what He does—you won’t have any problem giving Him all the credit and bearing the fruit of His Spirit to feed all those around you.
Closing Prayer:
Lord, forgive me for the times when I’ve tried to make myself impressive instead of making You known. I want my life to be a reflection of Your immense goodness—not my own accomplishments. I want to learn to give You glory for everything. Teach me to walk in Your Spirit daily and overflow with the fruit that brings You glory. May others see You in me. Let my life be a window of Your loving, wise, strong, peaceful presence. In Jesus’ name, Amen
