Scripture – ““No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. Each tree is recognized by its own fruit. People do not pick figs from thornbushes, or grapes from briers. A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.”
Luke 6:43-45 NIV
Observation – Jesus is comparing people to trees. Figs don’t come from thornbushes just like evil people don’t produce good things in their lives. Good people bring out the good that is stored in their heart and evil people bring out the evil stored in their heart. For whatever is in our hearts will come out of our mouths. This passage is about fruit that is produced year after year over a long growing season. It does not apply to a wicked man doing a good thing from time to time or and good man doing something wrong from time to time. This passage applies to a person’s life.
Application – Jesus gives us a way to test our heart, to know whether it is good or evil. Just listen to the words you say. Do you complain a lot? In every conversation are you the smartest person with the greatest ideas and everyone else is a dummy? When you talk about the world and those that are lost do you categorize them as sheep without a shepherd or are they evil people that have chosen to openly rebel against Jesus? Are you grateful for everything that God has given you or are you frequently disappointed, secretly thinking that God hasn’t been a good father. Watch your words and thoughts carefully, if they are not pleasing to the Father ask for forgiveness and ask the Holy Spirit to fill your heart with Christ’s love and appreciation for life.
Prayer – Lord, I pray you convict me of thoughts and words that don’t reflect you and give me heart that looks at the world from your perspective so that what comes out of my heart is good. Amen.
What are you doing? Do it better 