DAY 6: Fruitfulness

There’s a moment towards the end of the book The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse where the titular boy reflects on the purpose of life: ‘“I’ve realised why we are here,” whispered the boy. “For cake?” asked the mole. “To love,” said the boy.’

This is where this series of devotions started: with our call to love.

However, ‘to love’ is emphatically not our whole purpose. In Mackesy’s book, the horse responds to the boy: ‘And be loved.’ Ultimately, our ability to love others is interwoven with our ability to receive love. And, in particular, to abide in God and his love. Our ability to receive love is also key to avoiding burnout, which is an ever more common experience for activists these days.

This is the difference between pouring ourselves out in the service of justice and seeking to overflow with the love and grace of God. Lisa Sharon Harper has pointed out that in our experience, ‘rivers are made up of small streams that converge. But the four rivers in Eden spring from the garden, then separate and flow outward! This is the essence of abundance: flowing outwards.’ And throughout his ministry, we see abundant life flowing out of Jesus in the same way. We are invited into this way of being and doing.

Scripture: Psalm 1:1-3 and John 15:5 (NIV)

Psalm 1:1-3

1 Blessed is the one
who does not walk in step with the wicked
or stand in the way that sinners take
or sit in the company of mockers,
2 but whose delight is in the law of theLord,
and who meditates on his law day and night.
3 That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,
which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither—
whatever they do prospers.

John 15:5

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.

Reading question:

In Jesus’ model, it is our rootedness in him (rather than the number of hours we put in) that is the most important determinant of fruitfulness. How does this sit with you?

Reflection question:

Do you think you strike a good balance between activities that are life-giving (the things that help you connect to God and receive his love, the things that bring you joy, laughter and energy) and those that are life-draining (including both things you regard as ‘activism’ and everything else from the rest of your life)?