Written by Jana Fuljer
john 12:20-26
20 Now among those who went up to worship at the feast were some Greeks. 21 So these came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and asked him, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.” 22 Philip went and told Andrew; Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus. 23 And Jesus answered them, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24 Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. 25 Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26 If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.
What does a fruitful life mean to you? Does it mean being productive with visible results, developing good character, or simply being a good person? In our culture, fruitfulness is often measured by success, comfort, or achievement. But Jesus presents a very different picture. I believe He is saying that to truly experience a fruitful life, we must first die to self.
Jesus compares our lives to a grain of wheat. As long as the grain remains safe and untouched, it stays alone. But when it falls into the ground and dies, it produces much fruit. In the same way, a life centered on self-preservation—protecting our comfort, desires, and control—cannot produce the kind of fruit that glorifies God. This is why Jesus speaks about “hating” one’s life in this world. He is not calling us to self-destruction, but to a surrender of selfish, sinful, and earthly desires that keep us from fully following Him.
This is easy to say, but very difficult to live out. How does one actually die to self in everyday life?
We all struggle with different sins and selfish desires. Often, dying to self looks less like a dramatic moment and more like a series of painful, humbling choices. When my husband and I moved to California 25 years ago, we had very little understanding of what self-sacrifice truly meant. We were new to this country and struggling financially. When credit card offers started arriving in the mail, they seemed like an easy solution. Everyone was doing it, so why not us? We convinced ourselves we would pay everything off quickly.
That never happened. Before we realized it, we were buried in debt and felt trapped with no clear way out. In our desperation, we prayed and asked God for help—and He answered. He brought friends from church into our lives who invited us to a financial course that offered practical, biblical solutions. But the way out was painful. It required sacrifice.
We had to sell one of our cars and share just one. We canceled TV and gym memberships. We tightened our budget in ways that felt uncomfortable and restrictive. It was a difficult season, but God walked with us through it. Looking back, that season produced fruit we could not see at the time. Not only did we learn how to handle money wisely, but we also became better stewards of everything God entrusted to us. Our faith grew stronger, and we learned to trust God rather than ourselves.
This passage from John 12 takes place after Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem, just days before His crucifixion. The crowds were celebrating, but Jesus was preparing for the cross. His references to death become more frequent, and the urgency of His words is unmistakable. He knew His time was short, and He wanted His followers to understand that true glory comes through surrender.
A fruitful life, according to Jesus, is not about avoiding hardship or protecting ourselves at all costs. It is about following Him, even when it requires letting go of comfort, control, and personal desires. The promise is that when we do, God brings life out of what we surrender. What dies in obedience is never wasted—it becomes the very seed God uses to produce lasting fruit.
Prayer Prompts:
Pray for God to show you the areas of your life where you are holding on too tightly. Ask for the humility and courage to surrender to God, trusting that what we lay down in obedience will produce fruit for God’s glory.
Ask for help to embrace a life that dies to self and lives for God. Pray that when sacrifice feels painful or costly, that God would remind you that God is always at work, even when you cannot see the fruit yet.
