fruit Tell All

 DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MATTHEW

FRUIT TELLS ALL

Matt 7:15-20

15 "Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. 16 By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.

NIV

We do not know about any false prophets that lived in the time of Jesus, but we are more than aware of how many of them there have been over our lifetime. It is only a matter of listening to them and we can hear the bad fruit spewing from their tongues. Even if the Spirit did not manifest His gift of discernment, it is easy to hear all their false words, their twisting of the scripture to benefit themselves, rather than those they have deceived into becoming their followers. On the other side of that coin, we have to ensure that we are always exhibiting good fruit both in the words we write and those we speak, as well as in our manner of living. Of course, we can find so much in the scripture giving us the examples, or ways in which we can, through the power of the Spirit, bear good fruit. The one way to bear good fruit that we have held close is within the first psalm. Those three areas that we are to avoid are taking any advice from the ungodly, walking in the way of sinners, and sitting in the seat of mockers. If we can avoid those and simply delight in the law of the Lord, that is His Word, and meditate on it day and night, then as a result we will be like a tree planted by the spring of waters, having our roots firming soaking up living water, we will bear good fruit in our season, our life, and our leaf will not wither, that is will be soaking up the rays of the Son all the days of our life. Photosynthesis is what the leaf of the tree causes the tree to grow along with the nourishment of the water being drawn up from the roots. This is such a wonderful picture of how we bear good fruit, and it is also a way to be known as a child of God. Just as we can tell one type of fruit tree from another by the fruit it bears, we also can tell a believer from a false prophet by the fruit they bear. We must always have our roots in the word of God, drawing all the nourishment we can so people will not only see the good fruit we bear, but they will be able to enjoy that fruit, even pick it from us so they can experience love, joy, peace, goodness, kindness, gentleness and yes, even self-control. Let us be known by our fruit, and let it be good fruit.