Fruitful

God wants us to lead productive, fruitful lives for His glory.

“Our people must also learn to engage in good deeds to meet pressing needs, so that they will not be unproductive.”—Titus 3:14 NASB

Even while teaching spiritual truths, Paul was concerned with practical matters, real-life issues, putting faith into action, and learning how to be productive in our daily lives.

Writing to Titus, for example, he stressed the importance of learning “to engage in good deeds.” He saw that God’s people need to learn, to make a conscious effort, and to dedicate themselves to practical things.

Fruitfulness is an important part of the Christian life (John 15:1–8; Matthew 7:15–20). Paul was concerned, wanting Titus and other Christians to be productive, yielding the right kind of fruit and experiencing God’s blessings as a result.

For Titus, it meant making the effort to come to Paul at Nicopolis where he had “decided to spend the winter.” It also meant doing everything he could to provide practical assistance to Zenas and Apollos. Titus was to be diligent in making sure they didn’t lack anything (vs. 12–13).

This was part of the process of being employed in “good deeds,” meeting “pressing needs,” living a life of generous giving, acting in faith, and using his resources to help others in practical ways.

Today, these principles apply to you. God wants to bless you, so you can be a blessing to others (Genesis 12:2). He wants you to experience His abundance, so you can use your resources to invest in His Kingdom and meet the needs of those around you. Be practical and fruitful!

Reflection Question: How will you contribute to God’s Kingdom today?