Fruitfulness Comes First
“What if your life is already fruitful — even if it doesn’t look like it yet?”
From the very beginning, God commanded humanity to be fruitful (Genesis 1:28). Fruitfulness is not an afterthought; it comes first. It is the foundation of our purpose. But fruitfulness doesn’t begin with ripe fruit hanging from a tree — it begins with seeds. Seeds must be planted, nurtured, and watered before they can grow into buds, blossoms, and eventually fruit.
Our ideas are seeds. Our dreams, projects, studies, and careers are seeds. But if they remain stuck in our minds, they cannot produce fruit. Fruitfulness requires action — planting, tending, and trusting God for growth.
“Our ideas are seeds, but if they remain stuck in our minds, they cannot produce fruit.”
Don’t Dismiss the Buds
We often think of fruitfulness only in terms of maturity: the finished project, the thriving career, the ministry in full bloom. But fruitfulness is visible long before that. A flower bud is a sign of life. A small fruit forming on a branch is proof of productivity.
The mistake we make is dismissing these early stages as “not yet fruitful.” But God sees them differently. Jesus taught: “Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up, grew and produced a crop, some multiplying thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times.” (Mark 4:8). Notice the process: it came up, it grew, and then it produced. Each stage is fruitfulness.
“Each stage is fruitfulness — the bud, the blossom, and the ripening fruit.”
The Lesson of the Fig Tree
This truth is highlighted in the story of the fig tree (Mark 11:12–14). When Jesus looked at the tree, He expected to see at least signs of fruit — buds, small figs, something that showed preparation for the season. But the tree had nothing. It wasn’t condemned for having unripe fruit, but for having no fruit at all.
The lesson is clear: fruitfulness is not only in the harvest. It is in the signs of growth, the beginnings, the buds. The absence of any fruit is the problem, not the presence of small or immature fruit.
Abraham: Living the Promise in Stages
One of the most inspiring examples of fruitfulness in stages is Abraham. God promised him that he would become a great nation and inherit Canaan. At the time, Abraham had no resources, no army, no visible means to take possession of the land. On the surface, he was still a stranger, a sojourner.
Yet Abraham took the promise out of his mind and began to sow. He pitched his tent in Canaan. He built altars to the Lord. He walked through the land. He even bought property there, establishing a burial site that emphasized his understanding of permanent inheritance. These were visible steps of fruitfulness. Though the promise was not yet fully realized, Abraham’s actions showed that he was already living in it.
“Abraham’s tents and altars were evidence of fruitfulness, even before the harvest.”
My Journey: From Seed to Publishing Tree
I see my own journey reflected in Abraham’s. In 2020, I had the seed of an idea for a book. That seed became my memoir in 2021. Later, I published a second book. At first glance, the pace may seem slow, but each stage is fruit. From that seed, I was introduced to book publishing and author coaching. It all started with the book, but the tree has continued to grow. These are different stages of the same tree — buds, blossoms, and fruit ripening in their time.
If I only measured fruitfulness by speed or by comparison to others, I might think, “I am not this or that.” But the evidence says otherwise: I am fruitful. The books, the publishing, the coaching — they are all visible signs of productivity, even if they are not yet the full harvest.
“The evidence says otherwise: I am fruitful.”
Ministry Beginnings Are Fruit Too
Fruitfulness can also look like the early stages of ministry. You may have an awesome call from God, but right now all you are able to do is build the structure behind the scenes. Maybe you’re setting up systems, writing outlines, or preparing resources. You have built up the courage to put it online, or to tell others about it.
Perhaps you’ve only received one request so far — nothing near the vision you saw in prayer. But that one request is fruit. It is no longer just an idea. It is no longer just a seed. It has budded. The evidence of fruitfulness is there, even if the full harvest is still ahead.
Fruitfulness in Obedience and Kindness
Fruitfulness can be your obedience. When you follow God’s leading, even in small ways, you are bearing fruit. Fruitfulness can be your small steps — the beginnings of a project, the first chapter of a book, the early stages of study. Fruitfulness can be your little kindness — acts of love and service that, when watered and maintained in the right conditions, grow into something much greater.
Every step of obedience, every act of kindness, every seed planted is fruit. It may not yet be ripe, but it is real.
Fruitfulness Is Continuous and Staged
Fruitfulness is not a one-time event. It is continuous, unfolding in stages. Some blooms and fruits will mature before others, but that means we are fruitful at all times if we look carefully.
- Seed stage: Ideas, dreams, prayers.
- Bud stage: Early actions, beginnings, visible signs of growth.
- Fruit stage: Projects, ministries, careers taking shape.
- Harvest stage: Full maturity, blessing others, multiplying.
In the journey of fruitfulness, you’re likely to have more blossoms, buds, and small fruits than mature ones at any given time. That’s okay. They only need a little more time. The presence of early-stage fruit is not a lack — it’s a promise. It means growth is happening, and the harvest is on its way
At each stage, fruitfulness is present. The tree is fruitful when it buds, when it blossoms, when it ripens, and when it yields.
Encouragement for Today
“Don’t dismiss the buds. They are proof of life, evidence of productivity, signs of God’s work in you.”
So what does a fruitful life look like for you right now? It may look like beginnings, small steps, or early growth. It may look like obedience in the face of uncertainty, kindness in everyday moments, or faith like Abraham pitching tents in a land not yet his.
Don’t dismiss the buds. Don’t overlook the small fruits. They are proof of life, evidence of productivity, signs of God’s work in you.
Fruitfulness is already at work in your life. It is in your obedience, your small steps, your kindness, your faith. And in time, the harvest will come.
This reflection is part of my author journey at Plunkett Writes. You can also follow along on Instagram @plunkettwrites, where I share my writing journey.