A Tree and Its Fruit

Scripture: Matthew 12:33-37 (Click link for scripture in Bible Gateway)

33 “A tree is identified by its fruit. If a tree is good, its fruit will be good. If a tree is bad, its fruit will be bad. 34 You brood of snakes! How could evil men like you speak what is good and right? For whatever is in your heart determines what you say. 35 A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. 36 And I tell you this, you must give an account on judgment day for every idle word you speak. 37 The words you say will either acquit you or condemn you.” (Matthew 12:33–37 NLT)

A group of Pharisees and teachers of the Jewish law accused Jesus of being empowered by Satan. He countered their accusation with some very strong words about blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. Jesus said that their constant accusations against him and his disciples for doing good for others revealed that even though outwardly they were very religious, inwardly their hearts were evil.

Jesus declared, “What is in your heart determines what you say and what you do. A fruit tree may be outwardly leafy and green, but if the fruit isn’t good, you know the tree isn’t good. Get your heart right and the fruit will be right.” We talk how we talk because it’s how our hearts are! We behave how we behave because it’s how are hearts are.

As I look back over my life and as I look around me now, I see tremendous energy going into attempted behavior modification. We make ourselves more pious by tightening up on our religious practices, we make rules for our behavior, but it’s all external and does nothing to change our hearts.  If we want real results, our energy must go toward heart transformation.

How do our hearts change? We acknowledge our sin, selfishness, critical thoughts and words, envy, greed, judgmental attitudes. We ask God to forgive us, cleanse us, and change us. When we speak a critical word or behave in a judgmental way, we pray, “Father I don’t want to be that way. Make my heart like yours!” Every time we see a good example, we pray, “Father make me just like that!”

Prayer:

Father, With David I pray, Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a right spirit within me. Don’t take your Holy Spirit from me. Make my heart like yours. Make my heart good so its fruit will be good. In Jesus’ Name!