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Yesterday I wrote about fruit-bearing quoting, among other verses, John 15.16: “You have not chosen me, but I have chosen you and appointed you to go and bring forth fruit—fruit that will last.” (NIV)

What’s the difference between “fruit” and “lasting fruit”? Here’s my best recollection of a story told by my friend Reed, who at the time was a young staff pastor in a large church in Alabama

I did a funeral for a lady from here who had moved to California. It was apparent at the funeral that none of her family and friends here cared that much about her. After all, she had moved away. But her nurse, a Japanese lady, had come back for the funeral, and she did care. As she was lingering, weeping, I went over to her and said, “This is tough, isn’t it? It would be hard to get through it if not for Jesus.” She replied, “Jesus? Who’s Jesus? Is he here?” I took that oppportunity to tell her who Jesus is and lead her to faith in him.

That’s the difference between fruit and lasting fruit. Fruit is doing the funeral and consoling the mourners. Lasting fruit is looking for and capitalizing on opportunities to make a lasting difference in someone’s life. Reed’s actions were a classic example of FRONTLINE ministry as described in my book, Join the Adventure: Be there, Pay attention, Do what you can, Tell the truth.

I hope to write more about bearing lasting fruit tomorrow.

Now I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that I often planned to come to you (but was hindered until now), that I might have some fruit among you also, just as among the other Gentiles. (Romans 1.13, NKJV)