Look At The Fruit

You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles?  Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.  A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit.  Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.  Therefore by their fruits you will know them. Matthew 7:16-20 (NKJV)

We are what we are… and what we are dictates what we will bring forth, or produce, in our lives. A tree is known by its fruit. We can identify an apple tree because it produces apples. The same is true with people.

If we watch people long enough, we will discover who they really are. This is because people can be identified by the fruit they produce. If a person is a liar, a cheat or a thief at heart, they will be able to hide it only for so long- then the true fruit of who they are will begin to show. And on a positive note, a sincerely loving, caring, giving person will also show who they really are because they will produce good fruit in their lives.

I cannot stress enough how important it is to look long and hard at the fruit a person is producing before you involve yourself in a relationship with them- especially one that may lead to marriage. Sometimes people will pretend to be something they are not- even pretend to be a Christian- just to get someone to date them. Time will tell what people are really made of. There are many, many men and women who would admit that they regret rushing into a relationship. And once the ring is on the finger, the deed is done.

A bad tree cannot produce good fruit. A good tree cannot produce bad fruit. We will know them by their fruit. We must look at the fruit before we partake- whether we want to or not. It is the wise and prudent thing to do- and it may prevent great heartache and aggravation down the road.