Genesis 1:26-30
Be Fruitful and Multiply
26 Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”
27 So God created mankind in his own image,
in the image of God he created them;
male and female he created them.
28 God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”
29 Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. 30 And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds in the sky and all the creatures that move along the ground—everything that has the breath of life in it—I give every green plant for food.” And it was so.
One of the first commands God gave to Adam and Eve was to "be fruitful and multiply"...This first appears in Genesis..."And God blessed them...And God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.’”...
God told us to be fruitful and multiply and to be good stewards of the earth (because we are over the fish of the sea, the birds and all living things on earth)...This command is something that means many things...
The most straightforward interpretation is that God is encouraging humans to have children and to populate the earth...This was important in the early stages of earth and humanity, because there were only two people on earth and the time of this command...So earth needed to be populated...
Many Christians believe "fruitful" goes beyond simply having children...It can also encompass, living a virtuous life...Following God's teachings, living a life of love, forgiveness, kindness, and good works...Being fruitful when we read about Jesus, we see He wants us to be spreading the faith and news and words about Him in a fruitful way...So we are to share our faith with others and help them to get to know God, as Jesus taught and knew Him...We are to make a positive impact on others around us and the world...Leaving the world a better place through our actions and contributions...We are to be creative and work and do labor tasks so that we can meet and know, help, and serve others...We are to use our God given talents and abilities to contribute to society in a positive way...God expects us to build a social world with a network of those in fellowship with each other, learning about Him and His Son in a harmonious way...
So to be fruitful and multiply we are to identify our talents and gifts and using them to make a positive impact on the world...We are to love God...We are to build strong relationships with our neighbors...Nurturing healthy and loving relationships with family, friends, neighbors, and community...We are to live a life of service with others...We are to help others and contribute to the betterment of society and our communities and the world...
Ultimately, how one interprets "fruitful and multiply" is a personal journey throughout his/her life...The core message is to live a meaningful life that contributes positively to the world around God and our neighbors...