Matthew 12:22-50

12:33 "Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad, for the tree is known by its fruit."

This verse reminds me of 1 John speaking of the seed of God abiding in us (3:9). And in the next verse, 1 John 3:10, we see that the comparison is between the children of God and the children of the devil. "The tree is known by its fruit" could be paraphrased "one's master is known by his actions". For the unbeliever, sinning is as natural as breathing. Conversely, doing righteousness should be just as natural for the believer.

We've heard the cliche many times about how we shouldn't be "fruit inspectors". Well, we should, but we should only inspect our own fruit. Do we, being children of God, having His seed of righteousness in us, try to graft in a little fruit of worldliness into our lives? We'll buy that album, watch that movie, tell that joke, entertain some gossip... and like that banana that's been sitting on the counter for a couple months, it leaves a bad taste in everyone's mouth. Now if anyone else is reading this, can you admit when you do those things, don't you feel uncomfortable? It really should hit you like a brick and drive you to your knees before God, but most times we let it go. But even then, don't you feel a little... off? I know I do. That's trying to put rotten fruit on a healthy tree. It's just wrong, people. And I know I need to take the next step more often when I feel that uncomfortable "wrongness" and seek repentance and drive whatever it is out of my life.

Lord, help me to be a healthy tree with no bad fruit on it. Help me to continue in growing towards total disgust of all things unrighteous. Help me to show your mercy and grace to all those around me.