A tree is identified by its fruit. Make a tree good, and its fruit will be good. Make a tree bad, and its fruit will be bad.A tree is known by its fruit. This little truth answers a lot of life's questions.
(Matt. 12:33, NLT)
People can say all kinds of amazing things or all kinds of terrible things about a particular tree—a person, a church, a family or an organization—but if you really want to know what that person, church, family or organization is like, just look, listen and taste the fruit!
The fruit will tell you all about the tree! If you bite into a juicy peach, you can be 100% sure that the tree is indeed a peach tree. If you bite into a bitter crab apple, there's no doubt about it—it's a crab apple tree.
If you've ever thought, "I wonder what that person, church, family or organization is really like?" Just look at, listen to, and taste the fruit!
Does the consistent, overall fruit of a person, church, family or organization sound, look and taste like: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, goodness, faith, generosity, sweetness, grace, mercy, truth, honesty, integrity, humility, victory and success?
If so, you can be 100% certain the tree is good. That is a fact. You can fake a lot of things...but you can't fake fruit!
On the other hand, if the consistent, overall fruit of a person, church, family or organization sounds, looks and tastes like: hate, anger, bitterness, depression, agitation, impatience, mean-spiritedness, cruelty, harshness, criticism, unbelief, doubt, selfishness, greed, dishonesty, immorality, pride, complaining, grumbling, negativity and defeat...you can be 100% certain that the tree is bad!
Jesus made it clear: "A good tree can't produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can't produce good fruit. A tree is identified by the kind of fruit it produces. Figs never grow on thornbushes or grapes on bramble bushes. A good person produces good deeds from a good heart, and an evil person produces evil deeds from an evil heart. Whatever is in your heart determines what you say." (Luke 6:43-45, NLT)
Today, why not quit listening to everyone's opinions, the latest polls, news media, editorials, blogs, or gossip about every person, church, family or organization. Be smarter than that—just look, listen and taste the fruit. Remember, a tree is identified by the kind of fruit it produces!
Say It: Father, I thank You for making things so simple. I want to be a good tree that produces good fruit. Forgive me for judging people, churches, families or organizations based on anything other than their fruit. Give me discernment to recognize good fruit and good trees and the wisdom to stay away from bad fruit and bad trees. In Jesus Name. Amen.
Beth Jones Ministries
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