As we end our study on wisdom and the book of Proverbs, today’s verse tells us, “The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and whoever captures souls is wise.” (Proverbs 11:30 ESV) The NASB says, “The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, And he who is wise wins souls.” (NASB 1995)
Living a righteous life bears fruit. The fruit spoken here is the Fruit of the Spirit as laid out in Galatians 5:22-23. The result of a righteous life also brings wisdom. Proverbs tells us that a wise man wins souls. The Enduring Word website says, “A righteous life bears fruit, and it gives life to others.” As we exhibit the Fruit of the Spirit in our lives, the light of Jesus is shining out to others and develops in them a desire to have what we have. When we share our faith with others, telling them what Jesus has done for us, and encouraging them to find life in Jesus, we are exhibiting wisdom in witnessing. The Enduring Word website quotes Charles Spurgeon as saying, “The fruit of the righteous – that is to say his life – is not a thing fastened upon him, but it grows out of him…. Look to it more and more that your religion is real, true, natural, vital – not artificial, constrained, superficial, a thing of times, days, places, a fungus produced by excitement, a fermentation generated by meetings and stirred by oratory. We all need a religion which can live either in a wilderness, or in a crowd; a religion which will show itself in every walk of life, and in every company.”
Our lives should be a walking testimony of what Jesus can do in a life that is surrendered to Him. A wise person cares so much for those around them that they tell of how Jesus has rescued them from a life of sin and saved them from an eternity of punishment and eternal death. We are using wisdom when we show love to others by living a life that matches what we say, in other words, when we walk the talk. When they see how we handle difficult times by trusting that God will see us through, when we deal with unbelievers in love, then they not only see a difference in how we live, but they see Jesus in us, and our speech and life also shows our love for them. That can produce a desire in them to find out why we can live in a way that shows peace during the storms of life, joy in struggles, and rest in the face of trials.
When I was a young woman, someone commented that they couldn’t understand why I was always full of joy. Jesus in me was shining through and they could see His joy flowing through me in every situation. Even though at the time I was going through some hard times, I kept my eyes on Jesus. What I found amazing was that this person was someone I went to church with, and yet she didn’t understand. When we allow Jesus to take over our attitudes, actions, speech, and life, it shows. The Apostle Paul tells us, “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.” (Romans 12:1 NIV)
Sharing what Jesus has done for us shows wisdom in that, we have love for those around us and we want them to know Jesus just like we do, and when we share our story of how He saved us, we are loving them into a relationship with God. When they turn their lives over to Him, two things can happen – they are saved and enter the family of God, and as we lean on Jesus to help us as we witness, we become more confident in sharing the love of God with others.
As we help others to live a Godly life, they grow Spiritually. They grow when we share Scripture with them to encourage them in their walk, disciple them, and pray for them. All these things help to cause growth in a new Christian’s life. Growth denotes life! As the Fruit of the Spirit is exhibited, the new Believer sees what a Christian life looks like, and they grow because of it. We in turn grow in grace, wisdom, and knowledge as we allow the Fruit of the Spirit to rule and work in our lives.
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