Sometimes it is important to go back to the basics of following Jesus. What does it really mean to be a follower of Christ? How can you tell if you’re truly following God’s way?

Well, Paul says in Galatians 5 that one way is by seeing the fruit you produce. He uses the fruit tree metaphor to describe the impact that the Holy Spirit has on our lives. The Holy Spirit is like a living, growing tree that produces fruit. This fruit, also known as virtues, is a clear indication that the Holy Spirit is living in us.

That doesn’t mean we are perfect, or that just because we follow Jesus we are naturally great at producing all of these fruits. We are all different. Some of us are more impatient, others can be unkind. Others struggle with self-control. We are humans who mess up. But the Holy Spirit makes all of these fruits possible. Even if we are not naturally patient, the Holy Spirit empowers us to become patient in spite of our sinful nature.

These virtues are not just for our own good. They will help us be happier and healthier people, but they are also indicators to others that Christ truly lives in us. People can see that we are becoming better and more virtuous through the help of the Holy Spirit, and they will want what we have. Our fruit will bring other people to the love of Christ, changing our world for Him!This is Luis Palau.