Handprints on windows and doors are a thing of beauty! However, it wasn’t always that way at our humble abode!

Door handles were made for the purpose of pushing or pulling a door either open or closed.

It’s just that simple and there are no exceptions… until grandchildren enter the equation!

Now handprints are evidence!

Evidence of time well spent, evidence of memories being made. Evidence defined is that which tends to prove or disprove something; ground for belief; proof.

The Bible describes the byproduct of a godly life as fruit.

Evidence if you will which lends proof to the testimony of a Christ follower.

I think that there are handprints on the windows of our heart that speak of past acts of obedience, God honoring decisions made and Biblical convictions honored.

Jesus said, “Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.”

There abides in the world today as then true a false religion.

Our fruit as believers in Jesus Christ is to be… first genuine.

S. D. Gordon tells of a spring storm that broke a large limb on his cherry tree. Although it hung by a very slender strand, to his surprise the blossoms came anyway.

Later, some fruit began to grow as it did on the other branches. He noticed, however, that only those in full contact with the tree bore “much fruit,” while the partially severed branch produced only a scanty supply.

As believers, we must be careful about our spiritual connections, making sure we are fully abiding in Christ.

The fruit we bear, whether much or little, tells a story.

The fruit of our lives also must be long lasting.

There was once a farmer who went to town to purchase seeds for his farm.

As he was returning home one of the squash seeds he had purchased fell from his pocket onto the ground.

It happened that within a few feet was another seed of a different type.

The place where the two seeds lay was rather fertile, and miraculously they took root.

After about a week the squash seed showed signs of growth.

The second seed showed none. After two weeks, the squash began to sprout leaves.

The second seed showed none. After seven weeks, the squash began to show fruit.

The second seed still showed no progress.

Four more weeks came and gone. The squash plant reached the end of its life bearing much fruit in that time, but the other seed finally began to slowly grow.

Many years later the squash was all but forgotten, but the other tiny seed, an acorn, had grown into a mighty oak tree.

Many people want their faith to be like the squash. Some fruit takes years to bear.

Lastly, the fruit of our lives has a lasting effect on the lives of others.

There was once a monk named Telemachus who wondered if there could possibly be anything further from the Spirit of Christ than the gladiator games.

So disturbed was he that he felt something had to be done so he set out for Rome.

When Telemachus entered the city, the people he met had gone mad with excitement.

“To the Coliseum!” they cried.

Telemachus followed the crowd and was seated among all the other people when the gladiators came out into the center of the arena.

The men drew their swords and began to battle.

At that moment, Telemachus took fateful action. He rose from his seat and ran down onto the arena floor.

Holding high the cross of Christ, he threw himself into a position between the two gladiators and cried, “In the name of our Master, stop fighting!”

It wasn’t long until one of the gladiators sheathed his sword in the breast of the man of God.

Far down in the arena lay the bloody and battered body of the monk.

Suddenly the mob and the spectators grew quiet. A feeling of revulsion at what had been done swept over them.

Emperor Honorius rose and left the Coliseum. The people followed him, and abruptly the games were over. They were truly over, over for good.

And so, it was, that because one individual, filled with the love of Christ, dared to say, “No!” all-gladiatorial games in Rome ceased to be.

It cost him his life, but Telemachus actions inspired his brothers and sisters in the faith to stand courageous for the cause of Christ.

Is your life of faith readily apparent to all you meet?

Do they recognize faith’s fruits?  Is it apparent to others that you are one who “spends time with Jesus?”

It has been said that the fruit of our lives grows on the trees of others.

That being said the question may be, what kind of fruit will we leave behind?

Tim Throckmorton is the national director of Family Resource Council’s Community Impact Teams.