Your Fruit

Austrian Gustav Mahler had been acclaimed as a conductor, but generally ignored or rejected as a composer. In June 1902, he stood before the Cologne Orchestra, preparing to conduct the premiere of his Fifth Symphony. He warned, “Every time one of my symphonies has been performed, people have hissed or made a noise.”

He predicted that his new symphony likely would receive a similar reaction. But he urged the musicians to play “as best we can.” Regardless of how the audience reacted, they were to play with excellence.

Mahler realized that criticism did not mean failure. He was committed to writing the music in his heart and not allowing fickle opinions to stop him. He predicted, “My time will come.” He was proven right and received belated honor, but only after his death.

We need to remember that we all have limited understanding and make subjective decisions based on imperfect information. But, as Jesus told us, we learn a lot about people by examining their fruit. “There is no good tree which produces bad fruit, nor … a bad tree which produces good fruit” (v. 43).

Ask God to give you discernment as you consider the fruit others produce. Realize that others evaluate you by your fruit. What do they see? Submit your life to the Holy Spirit. Let Him produce His fruit in you. Through everything you do and say, be a witness for the Gospel, and let your light shine!