Make The Tree Good

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.  Matthew 12:32-34 (also Luke 6:42)

Interesting.  "Make the tree good"... not, "See if the tree is good."

This tells us, first, that we have the power to make the 'tree' of our lives either good or bad, period.

Jesus goes on, impressively:
You brood of vipers, how can you, being evil, speak what is good?  For the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart.  The good man out of his good treasure brings forth what is good; and the evil man out of his evil treasure brings forth what is evil.  And I say to you, that every careless word that men shall speak, they shall render account for it in the day of judgment.  For by your words you shall be justified, and by your words you shall be condemned.

Yeowch!  Pretty steep.  The second thing this tells us is that the thoughts of our hearts which flow out of our MOUTHS are what make the tree good or bad:

There is nothing outside the man which going into him can defile him; but the things which proceed out of the man are what defile the man... For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed the evil thoughts... All these evil things proceed from within and defile the man (excerpts from Mark 8:15-23; see also previous chapter).

The message?

1) Take inventory of your fruit, especially the fruit of your lips: is it praise and thanksgiving, blessing and honor?  Or is it back-biting, criticism, destruction and disrespect?

2)  Lobotomize yourself (Rom 12:1; 2Cor 3:18).  Repent, while there is still time to repent (Heb 3:15; 4:7).  Learn from Jesus' message in his last words to the disciples before facing death: "Any branch that does not bear fruit is cut off (John 15-ish)."

James says it this way:
Let not many of you become teachers, my brethren, knowing that as such we shall incur a stricter judgment.  For we all stumble in many ways.  If anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to bridle the whole body as well.  Now if we put the bits into the horses' mouths so that they may obey us, we direct their entire body as well.  Behold, the ships also, though they are so great and are driven by strong winds, are still directed by a very small rudder, wherever the inclination of the pilot desires.  So also the tongue is a small part of the body, and yet it boasts of great things.  Behold, how great a forest is set aflame by such a small fire!  And the tongues is a fire, the very world of iniquity; the tongue is set among our members as that which defiles the entire body, and sets on fire the course of our life (! ...for better or for worse?!), and is set on fire by hell.  For every species of beasts and birds, of reptiles and creatures of the sea, is tamed, and has been tames by the human race.  But no one can tame the tongue; it is a restless evil and full of deadly poison.  With it we bless our Lord and Father; and with it we curse men, who have been made in the likeness of God; from the same mouth come both blessing and cursing.  My brethren, these things ought not to be this way.  Does a fountain send out from the same opening both fresh and bitter water:  Can a fig tree, my brethren, produce olives, or a vine produce figs?  Neither can salt water produce fresh.  Who, among you is wise and understanding?  Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom.  But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth.  This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic.  For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing.  But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy.  And the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.


Make the tree good.