PODCAST

Weird Fruit

December 25th, 2023

Psalm 100:1-5

Imagine a fruit tree. It has shiny green leaves. It has orange-colored, round fruit, the juice from which tastes like sweet citrus and is normally served at breakfast. It grows well in subtropical or tropical climates, and suffers greatly when the temperatures go below freezing.

Now imagine this tree could speak. It proclaims at the top of its voice, “Look at me! See what an amazing apple tree I am?” No matter how much that tree might declare its fruit to be apples, we know differently, don’t we?

Jesus says, “Each tree is recognized by its own fruit” (Luke 6:44). If it looks like an orange tree, smells like an orange tree, grows in Florida, and produces oranges, it’s an orange tree. The same may be said of our lives. If we proclaim to be whole-hearted followers of Jesus, and yet our lives produce weird-looking, un-Christlike fruit, we aren’t really His disciples. Trees are known by their fruit . . . so are the people of God! On this Christmas Day, may we consider what kind of fruit we produce.

Author: Mark Hendrickson