Luke 6:43-45 43 “For no good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit, 44 for each tree is known by its own fruit. For figs are not gathered from thornbushes, nor are grapes picked from a bramble bush. 45 The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.
I have to say, there is absolutely NOTHING on this earth better than taking a bite from a fresh peach literally right off of the tree in the middle of summer. There is something about it that is just so plain perfect!
I often like to go foraging out in the woods. It has been a great hobby and opportunity to learn of the complexity and beauty of God’s Creation! There is such an abundance in nature for our benefit and enjoyment! So, imagine my excitement while I was out foraging one afternoon and came across “wild grapes.”
There were SO MANY hanging in bundles from these massive vines! I started taking them and throwing them in my bag without even a second thought! Within 10 minutes I had a bag literally filled with these “wild grapes.” After filling my bag, I decided to taste one as a “reward.”
May I just say, this is where I learned a few very valuable lessons. First is that while foraging, it is wise to confirm that you do in fact have, exactly what you think you have, before you eat it. Secondly, is to test it BEFORE you harvest it. The level of bitterness that hit my mouth was like being kicked in the face while having your mouth washed out with soap by your mother for saying something you REALLY shouldn’t have as a child.
People, it was horrible. These were not grapes at all! They LOOKED like grapes. They even smelled like grapes! Yet they weren’t. They were a bad fruit.
In the above Scripture we see Jesus tell us of the difference between a good fruit and a bad fruit. You see it is IMPERITIVE that we confirm not necessarily the fruit first, but the TREE it is grown from. Had I taken a moment to confirm a few things on the plant I was harvesting from, I would’ve avoided the intensely horrific flavor symphony that graced my mouth that day.
So too should we recognize that a BAD tree is what bears bad fruit. Church, we must strive to be connected to a “good branch” so that we may bear fruit that is fitting for God’s Kingdom! Fruit that is not of self, but of the Kingdom. Fruit that is not bitter but is sweet and fragrant to the Lord!
Our very lives and all that we do must be focused EXCLUSIVELY on HIM and ONLY HIM! We must be known by the tree that produces us, and our works and fruit! We do not wish to be confused for our origins being “of the world.” We cannot give the appearance of being worldly! We must draw people to the truth!
That the “vine of Christ” is healthy, safe, nourishing, and fulfilling beyond measure! The “vine of the world” is filled with brambles, bitterness, hardship, and toil!
Ask yourself this today, which tree are you clinging to, and is your fruit sweet or is it bitter?
SOLI DEO GLORIA!
