A story is told of an alcoholic who had become steadily worse in spite of every possible approach on the part of the psychiatrist. Finally the therapist consulted the man’s wife and asked her as a last resort to consider changing her attitude to the husband. Since she agreed to try, he suggested that one practical approach would be that the next time her mate arrived home inebriated, she greet him with kindness and love instead of her usual nagging and railing.
That very night when her husband came staggering in, she eased him into a chair, removed his shoes, put on his slippers, loosened his collar, made him a cup of strong coffee. After hovering over him with the most endearing ministrations and sweet talk she enquired, “Darling, is there anything else I can do to make you more comfortable?”
Bleary eyed but content he murmured, “Keep it up! This is wonderful! Keep it up—cause when I get home, I’m really going to catch it from my wife!”*
This is an example of bearing fruit, Kingdom living, love in action. Here’s another: “The Kingdom on the Streets” we called it. Back in the late 80’s and early 90’s when I was in the Vineyard Christian Fellowship in Fresno, California, from time to time we’d load up vehicles with hotdogs and all the “fixins” and go to inner city areas and feed the poor—many homeless—and talk to them and sing about Jesus. I have no idea about what effect these little efforts had, but at least we were trying to extend church out beyond walls, or getting salt out of the salt shaker, as someone has said the church needs to do. (This is how a Franciscan brother came to start a major shelter and ministry, the Poverello House—handing out sandwiches to the homeless from the back of his car.)
We wanted to be Christ’s disciples, and Jesus said in John 15 that bearing fruit is the sine quo non (without which nothing) of being “in the vine.” I am the vine, you are the branches. If you remain in me, and I in you, you will bear much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.
We see in this whole chapter, and the next, that prayer is essential for bearing fruit. John 15:16-17: You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. This is my command: Love each other. And Galatians 5: 22 says The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness and self-control.
So there is an intimate and direct connection between the vertical and the horizontal: the major “fruit” is love, loving deeds, caring for others—from caring for the homeless, or typhoon victims, or listening to each other (vs. communicating through cellphones!) If we pray, especially start our days in prayer, we’ll more effectively love our neighbor as ourselves—God’s will for our lives—even those sitting down with us for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Whoever does not love does not know God, for God is love, says 1 John 4:8. Love is so important that John even says, in Chapter 3, that when we get down on ourselves, we need to remind ourselves that we are loving persons, and that God is greater than our hearts, and knows all about us and loves us anyway!
The other evening we went to a wake, and listened to a preacher give a traditional sermon about making sure we’ll go to heaven, rather than to an eternal hell, when we die. I thought, What a burden this guy must be living under, if he thinks at all about all the countless billions of souls who are writhing in agony, forever and ever, if his theology is right. And what a burden he must be putting on his congregation!
Jesus didn’t go about doing that; He proclaimed the Kingdom of Heaven, a zone which starts now, for all who will enter it by letting Him come in, forgive their sins, reign in their lives and bear fruit, especially love. He never said to individuals things like “God loves you, but if you don’t accept and follow me, He’ll fry you forever!” (Of course he metaphorically warned groups of people about going to gehenna, a place of judgment, based on the garbage dump outside Jerusalem. Evil is judged, is punished, but evil people either repent at the point of death, and turn to the Cross, I believe, or choose something like purgatory, (see Luke 12: 47, 48) or are put out of existence (= “conditional immortality”).
True love doesn’t “wait” (except for marital sex), it gives, with the help of the Holy Spirit.
St. Augustine wrote: Prayer for the Indwelling of the Spirit—
Holy Spirit, powerful Consoler, sacred Bond of the Father and the Son, Hope of the afflicted, descend into my heart and establish in it your loving dominion. Enkindle in my tepid soul the fire of your Love so that I may be wholly subject to you. We believe that when you dwell in us, you also prepare a dwelling for the Father and the Son. Deign, therefore, to come to me, Consoler of abandoned souls, and Protector of the needy. Help the afflicted, strengthen the weak, and support the wavering. Come and purify me. Let no evil desire take possession of me. You love the humble and resist the proud. Come to me, glory of the living, and hope of the dying. Lead me by your grace that I may always be pleasing to you.** Amen.
*Raymond L. Cramer, THE PSYCHOLOGY OF JESUS AND MENTAL HEALTH. G. R.: Zondervan, 1959 (15th printing, 1973), p 220
**I.e., prayerfully bear fruit.
