Pointing to the Fruit of Grace

"A few grapes will show that the plant is a vine, and not a thorn." Richard Sibbes, The Bruised Reed

I don't know about you, but there are times in life when I can be much more aware of failures than of victories. Falling to the same sin again, hurting someone with my words, looking at the end of our day and seeing areas where I wasn't faithful.
Richard Sibbes wisely points out that God is faithful to point out where grace is at work in our lives, even when we are unaware.
One of the primary ways that He does this is through the care and encouragement of others. There may be days in our lives when we are more aware of our sin, the struggles and cares of life and in those moments we can have a hard time pointing out the fruit growing in our lives. And it is the sweet words of a friend, reminding us of God's grace that can be oh, so helpful in those moments.
When we are struggling, we may not be aware of the growth happening in our lives, areas where we are obeying and reflecting God. And the encouragement from a friend can point us to where God is working and bearing fruit in our lives, reminding us of His faithful work in us.

Lord, use me as your vessel in pointing out the fruit you are bearing by grace in the lives of those around me, because Lord knows I need that reminder too.