Recognized by it's Fruit
Date: May 5, 2023
I use the BLESS method every morning for my devotional.
B - Bible Verse
L - Listen for God's Word and pray
E - Explore the History and meaning
S - Study the Key Words or Phrases
S - Summarize and Share
You can read more about it by going to: What is a Faith Journal?
B - Bible Verse - Matthew 12:33 (NIV) - "Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognized by its fruit."
L - Listen for God's Word and Pray - Dear God, please help me to be aware of the kind of fruit I am producing in my life. Help me to make good choices and live a life that pleases you. Amen.
E - Explore the History and Meaning - In this verse, Jesus uses a metaphor of a tree and its fruit to teach about the importance of our actions and choices. He explains that a good tree will produce good fruit, while a bad tree will produce bad fruit. This means that our actions reveal what is in our hearts and can be used to identify whether we are following God or not.
S - Study the Key Words or Phrases - The key words in this verse are "tree," "fruit," "good," and "bad." Jesus is emphasizing the importance of the condition of the tree (our hearts) and the quality of the fruit (our actions). Our hearts must be transformed to be good in order to produce good fruit.
S - Summarize and Share
As I think about this verse, I'm reminded of the power of our words. Our words have the ability to build up or tear down, to bring life or death. Jesus warns us that a tree is known by its fruit, and that the fruit of our lips reveal the condition of our hearts.
In today's world, it's easy to get caught up in negativity and criticism, especially on social media where people can hide behind a screen and say hurtful things without even thinking about what they have written, or who they have hurt. However, as followers of Christ, we're called to a higher standard. Our words should reflect the love and grace that God has shown us. We should speak truth in love, and our words should be filled with kindness, encouragement, and hope.
This verse has really made me stop and think about my own words and the impact they have on others. Am I building up or tearing down? Am I using my words to bring life or death? I'm reminded that every word I speak has the potential to impact someone's life.
So my call to action for myself and for all of us is to use our words wisely. Let's be intentional about speaking life and building up others. Let's use our words to encourage and inspire those around us, and to point them towards the hope that we have in Christ
Bible Cross References:
Galatians 5:22-23 - "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law."
James 3:12 - "My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water."
Luke 6:44 - "Each tree is recognized by its own fruit. People do not pick figs from thornbushes, or grapes from briers."