A Lesson from Bananas - All The LORD is near Daily Devotionals for 2025

In this is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit.
John 15:8

A Lesson from Bananas
Most of us have probably not seen a banana plant nor seen how its fruit is harvested. I was shocked when the man who was going to give me a bunch of bananas chopped down the entire plant with several quick blows of his machete. He then cut off the bunch of bananas and gave it to me.

Typically, a banana plant begins as a shoot of the mother plant. It will grow and in half a year produce a large flower which over the next six months will develop into a bunch of bananas. This may have many large bananas or may be smaller, having fewer in number, depending on the variety, but also very much on the rainfall and the fertility of the soil. Once the bananas are ripe, the whole stalk is cut down. The purpose of the plant is to produce a beautiful, full bunch of bananas, plus one or more shoots that will then develop into fruit-producing plants.

Is that not like us? Is this not the Lord's purpose for us, that we produce fruit in a similar way? How wonderful when there is spiritual production from our life—new shoots who will also grow up into fruitful persons! We are to be witnesses for the Lord, sharing the gospel so that others will come to know Him as their Savior too. May we be faithful by being occupied in so serving, in whatever way He enables us, that there may be many more who enter into heaven. The Lord said that the harvest truly is ripe; the laborers are few. Are we doing our part?

But not only that, we should produce fruit to satisfy God's heart, just as the delicious banana satisfies us. Where bananas grow, they are often eaten as food, not just a snack or dessert. The banana plant is cut down to harvest the fruit. It is not important in itself; nor are we. We exist for the Lord and His honor and glory. That is our purpose in life. Do we really believe this, or are we living for ourselves?

Albert Blok