There’s an important moment recorded in Matthew’s Gospel where Jesus teaches His disciples how to recognize whether someone is true or false in their ministry: look at the fruit.

Jesus says, “You will recognize them by their fruits” (Matthew 7:16).

Over time, the fruit always shows. The evidence is in the fruit.

In Galatians 5:22–23, Paul reminds us that when we walk by the Spirit, the fruit of the Spirit will become evident in our lives. He gives us nine characteristics: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

Notice Paul doesn’t say “fruits” of the Spirit, but “fruit.” These aren’t nine different fruits we get to pick and choose from. Together, they paint a picture of the character the Holy Spirit produces in a life surrendered to Him.

The standard is Christ. The expectation isn’t instant perfection, but there should be increasing evidence of His character being formed in us. As we walk by the Spirit, His fruit should increasingly become visible in our lives.

When I look closely at this fruit, I can’t help but picture Jesus. He perfectly embodies every one. And as we walk in Him, the Holy Spirit increasingly produces the life and character of Christ in us.

Paul said it this way earlier in Galatians:

“It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.” — Galatians 2:20

Before Jesus went to the cross, He gave His disciples another powerful picture. He said, “I am the vine; you are the branches” (John 15:5).

There’s nothing impressive about a branch disconnected from the vine. But when the branch remains connected, life flows through it and fruit begins to follow. Jesus teaches that as we abide in Him, we can bear fruit, more fruit, and much fruit (John 15:2, 5).

That’s the key: fruit isn’t something we manufacture; it’s something the Spirit produces as we abide in Christ.

My prayer for you today is that your life would not be fruitless. Where there is a genuine walk with Jesus, there should increasingly be evidence of His work. Jesus said, “You will recognize them by their fruits.”

May the people around you recognize Christ in you because they can clearly see the fruit of His Spirit—and may the fruit they see in your life make them hungry to know the One who produced it.

“The greatest single cause of atheism in the world today is Christians who acknowledge Jesus with their lips and walk out the door and deny Him by their lifestyle. That is what an unbelieving world simply finds unbelievable.” – Brennan Manning