In German work culture when everyone gets hired for a job, you’re given a 6-month work contract. This is called Probezeit (probation). They do this to observe your work ethic and if you’re a good fit for the company. In these 6 months they are inspecting you to see if you are doing what the position requires you to do. If they want you longer you’ll get an extension on your contract, if not they will let you go. 

My dad likes to call this German word “Probezeit”- “Fruit Inspection.” Though this term probably refers to work probation, “fruit inspection, ” according to my dad's definition, refers to our character after others, by osmosis inspects us. 

Though we have no right to judge another, when we sit back and inspect their fruit, especially bad fruit, we may not know what's going in their hearts or minds. But, we will know that something is going on in their root system, and that they are most likely going through something.

The kind of fruit we bear tells others a lot about our character and if we have the peace of Christ reigning in our hearts. 

• Is- love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, goodness, and self-control the type of fruit we are bearing? 
• If we trespass against our fellow man, the way we try and make things right, if we try and make things right at all shows the kinds of fruit we are bearing. 
• Do others speak highly or lowly of us by the fruit we are producing? 
• Are we exclusive and cliquish, or inclusive welcoming others? One will show that we either bear hospitable or arrogant fruit.
• Do we strive to keep our word, telling the truth? One will either show that we bear trustworthy or some sort of untrustworthy fruit? 
• Do we forgive or keep a record of wrong- either could show we bear unforgiving or forgiving fruit? 

I’m by no means perfect and I have to seek God daily and resolve to produce Christ-like fruit, in both heart and mind. And sometimes it takes a lot of effort. 2015 was an extremely challenging year for me and I had to work on my fruit production, because what I was going through was uncomfortable and painful.

For Christians, may we be mindful that we are ambassadors of God’s kingdom. We must resolve to bear fruit that exhibits Christ. And if we are going through something that may be inhibiting us from producing good fruit, may we “cast our burdens to the Lord for He will give us rest." For if we take His “yoke and learn from Him, because He is gentle and lowly in heart,” we will find rest for our souls.” Because as Jesus said, “My yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11: 28-30)

 Happy Friday!