“If you walked up to an apple tree, you wouldn’t expect to find oranges hanging from its branches. And yet, how often do we expect good fruit from bad roots?”
This is the subject of Jesus’ question in Matthew 7.
“By their fruit you will recognize them. Are grapes gathered from thorn-bushes, or figs from thistles?” (verse 16).
With this question, Jesus gives us a simple but powerful truth—what we do, what we produce, reveals who we are. No one expects apples from a cactus or oranges from a pine tree. In the same way, a life rooted in Christ will naturally bear good fruit.
You don’t need a magnifying glass to see people’s character; you see it in their actions. Someone may talk about kindness, but if they’re constantly bitter, the fruit tells the real story. A person can claim to follow Jesus, but if their life is marked by dishonesty, selfishness, and pride, the evidence says otherwise.
And what about us? What fruit do we bear? If our words are encouraging, our actions reflect love, and our habits point to Jesus, we don’t have to convince anyone—we simply live it out. The fruit speaks for itself.
Jesus isn’t asking us to be perfect. He knows we stumble. But over time, a heart transformed by Him will naturally produce something different—patience where there used to be frustration, peace where there was anxiety, and kindness where there was indifference.
Today, take a moment to examine the fruit of your life. What does it say about your roots? Stay connected to Jesus, and the fruit will follow.
I’m Lonnie Davis, and these are thoughts worth thinking.
This is so true because I know I stumble
And think about it later why did I do that. That was not Christian like
We are all sinners God knows everything