Make a Tree Good and Its Fruit Will Be Good

[33] “Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognized by its fruit.” – Matthew 12:33 (NIV)

In Matthew 12:33-37, Jesus spoke extensively about identifying a tree based on its fruit. Actually, He was revealing a truth about human attitude and how hypocrisy, although bad, will eventually be exposed. Why? Because during His days of earthly ministry, He saw a lot of Pharisees practising gross hypocrisy.

Jesus said in Matthew 12:33, “Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad…”. Wait a minute? Can a typical tree be “made” good or bad? Certainly not. Whether a tree will be good or bad doesn’t have much to do with human efforts, apart from planting it in good soil and providing other necessary seeds for germination. Even if a tree grows very tall and its fruit is bad, it can be strong, but its fruit will not be usable. So, I believe that statement Jesus said referred to humans, not really physical trees.

When it comes to handling humans, you can train a person to be a good person. That is the secret behind the Biblical command that charges parents, especially fathers, to raise their children in the fear and admonition of the Lord (see Ephesians 6:4). If you are a leader, you can train your team to become great people. It is doable. And if you do it, you’ll see good fruits (results) of your labour, although it’ll take some time.

Nobody has become so good at something without receiving training, either from God or others. Work goes into every product before it comes out in its best state. In the same way, if you find yourself on the journey of success in whatever endeavour you may be in, just enjoy the process. In the end, things will turn out well for you.

You are a blessing.