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Aug 18, 2022 18:30pm

Known by Our Fruits

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Cave City. Home of the sweetest watermelon. If you disagree, I’ll fight you to the death. If you suggest another city, I “hope” you are ready to be proven wrong.

Growing up not too far from this town, it was the highlight of every summer when our parents or grandparents would bring home a Cave City melon. This city could have had a gazillion other things going for it and it would still be known for its melons. There is actually a cave in the town, hence the name, and yet, it’s still known for that one sweet and delicious thing – melons.

Farmers work endless hours planting, caring for and harvesting these coveted treasures. Anybody around that wants a melon always asks, “is it a Cave City melon?” In fact, a few years ago, a guy was just about arrested for trying to pass off his melons for the famous Cave City ones. He proudly boasted all about town until the news showed up and started calling him out asking who grew them and where abouts did he get them. He didn’t have much to say at that point. Everybody knows who the growers are and no one had ever heard of this guy. But even he knew his melons would sell better if he said they were from Cave City.

God had chosen the people of Israel to be His people. They would be different. They would be set apart for His purpose. They would glorify Him. So, he established a covenant with Abraham in Genesis. To mark that covenant, God instructed for all the males to be circumcised, as a sign that they were God’s people.

Joshua had just brought the people across the Jordan and will soon conquer the land of Canaan that God has promised them. But before going any further into this foreign land, God wants the Israelites to be known that they are His followers.

“At that time the LORD said unto Joshua, Make thee sharp knives, and circumcise again the children of Israel the second time. And Joshua made him sharp knives, and circumcised the children of Israel at the hill of the foreskins.” (Joshua 5:2-3)

This was a symbol of their covenant with the Lord. Because of the circumcision, they would be known as a follower of God.

From the physical to the spiritual, Christians are now known by something the Holy Spirit plants in us.

“Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.” (Matthew 6:16-20)

Fruits. What does that mean? It’s what’s produced from you. If you have the Holy Spirit within you because you have accepted the Lord as your Savior, you have the fruit of the Spirit – But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance (Galatians 5:22-23). These are the fruit produced because you are a child of God!

We are known by our fruits.

What are you known for? Is it a sweet fruit of righteousness of the Lord? Has the old been cut away and now new life springs forth?

Ultimately, it’s not just about how others might know you. But how are you known to God?