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.
The suffering, serving Christ came with healing and forgiveness. He also came with a warning that He would one day return as judge. In the economy of justice, there is not a space between good and bad. Good and bad are completely dichotomous islands. Standing with one foot in good and one foot in bad is a deception that can only last until judgment comes. Judgment reveals what is in our hearts and assigns consequences to it. Guys… this is scary stuff.
If you’re like me, you are wondering with some urgency, “am I good or bad?” The beautiful reality is that those who place their faith in Jesus are made good by His redeeming blood. Our efforts cannot achieve this kind of powerful salvation. The dichotomous islands of good and bad sit in an ocean of grace that Jesus invites us to drown in. So what does that mean for us?
The reality is also that we are all works-in-progress in need of restoration, healing, and purification that comes in process (aka sanctification). The small word “make” in the verse above is an opportunity to find change in our lives. Trees can change!
We find a tension between “I am made good by Christ” and “I need to be made good by Christ.” Any of us who have received Jesus as Lord and Savior can attest in times of harshness to ones we love, lack of patience in traffic, or moments of fear that we still have areas that we need Christ to do work in. We need change!
But this question remains: how do we know what areas we need the work of Christ in?
Jesus tells us in Matthew 12: good trees produce good fruit; bad trees produce bad fruit. The end.
When we look at (or invite others to look at) the fruit in our lives (words and deeds), it will reveal what is in our hearts. The words and deeds of our lives that come out in times when we aren’t trying tell us what kind of tree we are.*
In this passage Jesus seeks to help us all to know what is in our hearts so that we can submit those parts to Him.
Honestly, negativity comes out of me far too much. What does that say about me as a tree? What does that mean about what is in my heart? I live in an ocean of grace as I drown in its waters, but I need to change.
Today, take a step.
Maybe today the one step God wants you to take is to take time to examine the fruit in your life. Perhaps God wants you to step out in bravery and invite someone to help you to examine your fruit. Maybe today God wants you to receive His “well done.” Perhaps God wants you to hear the gentle voice of the Holy Spirit pointing out a place that He wants to work in your heart.
Whatever the step, ask God to direct it. Take a moment to take that step. Invite Him to speak. He will.
Life is a long road. Walk it with Jesus. Take a step today… just one is fine.
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*Leon, Morris, The Gospel According to Matthew. Pillar New Testament Commentary (Wm. B. Eerdmans, 1992), 320-323, and Keener, C. S., Matthew (Vol. 1, Mt 12:33-37) (InterVarsity Press, 1997).