LIKE A FRUITED TREE

In the book of Luke 6:43-45 Jesus uses the analogy of trees and the fruit they produce to illustrate a person’s character and the motivations of their hearts.

“No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. Each tree is recognized by its own fruit. People do not pick figs from thornbushes, or grapes from briers. A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.”

The mouth speaks what the heart is full of. What we meditate and focus on always bleeds out and reveals what we daily give room to. Do we meditate on perceived fears? We will speak fearfully. Do we meditate on trouble and danger and enemies perceived? We will speak tribally and live defensively.

We can claim Christ as Lord but still linger and listen to the things of dissonance and anger of the world and be infected and caught up into it. It is the little leaven we can be prone to spoon feed ourselves which corrupts the heart.

But do we set our minds on what is true or noble, pure or lovely or excellent or praiseworthy? What we put into our hearts, what we watch and listen to will always come bubbling out of our mouths, a stream which flows from our inner person. Do we listen to Fear? Distrust? Vengeance? Anger? Do we give place in our minds to what others say we should be fearful of?

Paul in Philippians 4:8 exhorts us.

“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”

It isn’t just about a passing thought either, it is a deliberate mindset, second to second, minute by minute, hour by hour, it is the daily meditation and renewal of both mind and spirit.

And by feeding your mind His things and renewing it, your heart which flows through your lips will speak mercy, peace and be set on the ministry of reconciliation and the life. We won’t have the desire to entertain preconceptions on the things that divide and bring arguments. We won’t be so easily swayed by a world that seeks to shift your allegiance. But rather, when the world is angry and fearful, when it raises its fists and places up walls of separation, taunting and hurling insults and threatening hurt, you won’t play into its game to ally with its feckless heart.

Rather you will see vertically rather than the limited, finite way of men and your heart won’t be divided between heaven and a temporal kingdom which will one day soon rust and fall into ash.

The time is short and your hour draws near men and women of the Way. Walk circumspectly. Do not set your hearts by division or the way of the sword, but go in peace living mercifully and being just, doing good and building up rather than tearing down. Hold fast to the truth but be merciful as He has been with you when even you were aliens and rebels to Him.