Allow me to begin with a poem by John Keats.
To Autumn
Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness,
Close bosom-friend of the maturing sun;
Conspiring with him how to load and bless
With fruit the vines that round the thatch-eves run;
To bend with apples the moss’d cottage-trees,
And fill all fruit with ripeness to the core;
To swell the gourd, and plump the hazel shells
With a sweet kernel; to set budding more,
And still more, later flowers for the bees,
Until they think warm days will never cease,
For summer has o’er-brimm’d their clammy cells.
John Keats
1795 - 1821
The seasons have worked through the cycle again, and winter is here. As the ‘Horizontal Gardener’ (see a previous post on this), I have been reflecting on the lessons to be learned from our experience of the seasons.
JOSEPH – THE ORIGINAL ORGANIC PRODUCE
Let’s start with Joseph in the book of Genesis.
Joseph is a fruitful bough,
even a fruitful bough by a well;
whose branches run over the wall.
Gen 49.22 (AKJV)
Sounds good, doesn’t it? Who doesn't want to be described as fruitful? It sounds fantastic. You're one big, thriving mango tree! But what does it really mean? And how does it connect with that other famous fruit passage in Galatians 5:22-23, where the apostle Paul serves up a spiritual fruit salad?
In Genesis 49.22, Joseph gets this glowing endorsement of fruitfulness, complete with imagery of a branch growing over the wall. He’s so full of life and purpose that his blessings can’t be contained. His vine isn’t just lying peaceably in the shady corner of the garden, it’s climbing the wall, waving at the neighbours, and tempting incipient climbers on the other side.
But we know that Joseph’s life wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows. He was thrown into a pit by his brothers, sold into slavery, falsely accused, and jailed. Yet, through all of this, he remained faithful to God, and his 'well' of living water kept him growing. That’s the secret to fruitfulness. It’s not about perfect circumstances.
It’s about being rooted in the right source.
ENTER THE APOSTLE PAUL AND THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT
Fast-forward to Galatians 5:22-23, where Paul gives us a list of what real fruitfulness looks like: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. You’ll notice that Paul doesn’t mention busyness, wealth, or social media followers. God’s definition of fruitfulness isn’t the same as ours.
Joseph’s life was a living example of these Spirit-fruits. When his brothers showed up needing food, did he unleash a vine of vengeance? Nope. Instead, he responded with love, kindness, and forgiveness. Even in Potiphar’s house and prison, Joseph demonstrated faithfulness and self-control. Clearly, he was walking around like a one-man fruit basket!
THE WALL, THE WELL, AND THE WHOLESOME FRUIT
Joseph’s branches didn’t just stay on his side of the wall. They 'ran over’. That’s what happens when you’re connected to God as your well. You don’t just have enough for yourself. Your fruit spills over to bless others.
This is where the fruit of the Spirit comes in. When we’re living by the Spirit, our love isn’t limited to the people we like, our patience isn’t reserved for when traffic is light, and our self-control doesn’t take weekends off. These fruits grow so abundantly, they naturally overflow into our relationships, our churches, and even the awkward work meetings where everyone’s pretending to like the coffee.
WHAT ABOUT US?
Let’s face it, we’re all works in progress. Some days, our fruit of the Spirit feels more like a sad raisin. But the good news is, God’s not asking us to grow these fruits by sheer effort. Just like Joseph’s bough that was planted by a well, our job is to stay connected to Jesus, the source of living water.
So, what’s the application?
Be like Joseph.
Stay rooted. Let the fruit grow. And don’t worry if your branches get a little unruly and spill over the wall. After all, the world could use a lot more love, joy, and patience—and maybe a little less overripe bitterness.
Whether you see yourself as a fruitful bough, a sapling, or just a slightly confused houseplant, there’s room to grow. And with God as your gardener, you can trust that your fruitfulness will not only bless you but also everyone around you.
So go ahead.
Let those branches climb the wall and make the world a sweeter place.