After Pentecost Devotional - Day 14

"Every tree that produces bad fruit will be chopped down and burned. You can tell who the false prophets are by their deeds." Matthew 7:19-20

We generally don't expect to hear Jesus saying things like chopping down and burning trees that don't produce good fruit. This comment comes in the midst of a series of statements with regard to false teachers and improper directions in life. Jesus starts off with a general warning to avoid the crowded rush to follow the wrong paths in life, paths that lead to death. He then shifts to talking about false prophets who encourage that rush towards death.

Jesus' words with regard to the trees producing improper fruit is related to those false prophets, teachers who are leading people to destruction. He famously calls them wolves in sheep's clothing, coming to attack those they lead to destruction. He then warns us to beware of them, recognizing them by the fruit of their lives.

Jesus was quoting John the Baptist with these words about trees being chopped down. There is a difference in his usage, however. John was addressing the crowds as though they were the ones in danger of being chopped down as unfruitful trees and thrown into the fire. Jesus is speaking instead of the false prophets. As we deal with unfruitful trees, so his words would direct us to make the same judgments in regard to the people who would lead us.

What kind of fruit do the lives of our leaders produce? Do we see In them the attitudes, actions, and character we would like to see in our own lives and the lives of our children? Does the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) flow in their lives? These are the signs of the people whose leadership we should be following. All too often, however, we pick our leaders on the basis of values and priorities our society tells us are more important.

We have seen Christians following those who speak of wealth, power, violence, and other distortions at odds with the principles Jesus preached and lived. We have seen Christians seeking to emulate the business leaders of the larger society, setting aside the gospel Jesus preached as inappropriate or inapplicable to their economic lives and business projects. We have watched as Christians follow as leaders those whose personal lives exude immorality on many levels in order to hold fast to political or social platforms. What Jesus calls us to is something very different.

Jesus calls us to assess those who would be leaders in our midst. He calls us to ask the hard questions. He calls us to question the quality of their character. He calls us to question the values behind their actions. He calls us to assess the principles that guide their speech, their priorities, and their decisions. He calls us to assess the results and impact of their lives upon others.

Rather than looking at litmus tests of phrases they are willing to pronounce, Jesus calls us to look at the results of their lives. If those are not in keeping with God, they are unworthy of our acceptance.

Determine to take a good look at those you would follow. Do their lives measure up in Godly fruit? If you follow them, your life will generally look similar in character.

"Lord, help me to be honest in assessing those I follow, that my life reflect only you."

—©Copyright 2016, Christopher B. Harbin
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