Luke 6:43-45 The Fruit of Your Life
43 “You’ll never find choice fruit hanging on a bad, unhealthy tree. And rotten fruit doesn’t hang on a good, healthy tree. 44 Every tree will be revealed by the quality of fruit that it produces. You will never pick figs or grapes from thorn trees. 45 People are known in this same way. Out of the virtue stored in their hearts, good and upright people will produce good fruit. Likewise, out of the evil hidden in their hearts, evil ones will produce what is evil. For the overflow of what has been stored in your heart will be seen by your fruit and will be heard in your words.
Like a tree bearing fruit in its season, human hearts bear spiritual fruit, as well. Apart from God, humanity cannot bear righteous fruit–love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, kindness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control (Gal 5:22-23). Because of sin, every heart hides evil inclinations. We need Jesus to overcome that evil and give us a new beginning; to make us new creatures in his image. Old corrupt ways must be cut away, so new shoots of righteousness can bear good fruit. It is the work of the Spirit who produces righteous fruit in God’s human creation; we cannot take credit for his redemption. We are entirely dependent upon God to do this for us and in us. This is why we submit ourselves to the work of the Spirit who helps us produce the fruit of righteousness.
The evil stored inside of a person will always be revealed by human expression; it is a spiritual principle and the revelation of truth. May our hearts and words reveal the truth of our Master and the work of his holy hand within us. And, may we be honest to ask the Lord for help when we notice an inclination to bear something “rotten!”
Prayer: Lord, I pray for the overflow of your righteousness within me to be seen by the fruit of my character and heard in my words. In Jesus’ name. Amen.