The Hollow Fruit

The tree looked strong and sturdy. The blossoms that spring were bright, beautiful and smelled wonderful. As the season progressed and the fruit began to grow, things changed. The fruit was small, shriveled and discolored. There were huge blemishes on it and the skin was wrinkled. It seemed that even the worms refused to eat the fruit. Finally the gardener was forced to chop the tree down and use it for firewood. When the tree finally fell, it was discovered that its heart was empty and rotten. Some type of disease had been eating the heart out of the tree. It was the fruit that exposed the hollowness of the tree.

Jesus said: “By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.” NIV Matthew 7:17-20

What kind of fruit is my heart producing? Is the fruit of my life sweet to all or only to myself. Does the fruit nourish the lives of those who sample it or does it make them sick to their stomach? Our hearts are trees producing fruit. If our fruit is only sweet to ourselves and makes us selfish, harsh, impatient and severe to our neighbors, while we think we are little saints…then we are bearing false, pernicious and rotten fruit. (adapted from Francis DeSales; An Introduction to the Devout Life) If you want to know what a person believes, where their heart is and what they are deep inside, do not listen to what they say, watch what they do. Observing the fruit of their lives reveals the contents of their hearts.

Jesus again reminds us in John 15:1-4 "I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me." NIV

Where do I abide? What am I producing? Where is God pruning me?

“O Lord, help me to remain in You. Let me bear heavenly fruit that nourishes life in your Kingdom!”