Sheep and Fruit

As I read this Scripture a thought came to mind that is worth exploring – why is camouflage so awesome (other than it literally goes with everything).

Hang with me for a minute -- we see a stern warning from Jesus about those that are trying to trip us up – and the interesting fact is they are not doing this out in the open but rather covering up their true motives. Hence the wolf in sheep's clothing. Just like an unexpecting animal in the woods when a hunter is dressed in perfect camo, most never meet the one that ultimately takes them down because they never saw it coming and it appears that the same can be for us – we must be on guard for those that are trying to prevent us from entering the Kingdom of heaven.

Reflecting on this further, it would be helpful to discern if others are being deceptive or not. Jesus began to teach us how to deal with this problem directly and He used something that is extremely practical – Fruit! In the time of Christ, fruit was a big deal and it led to many items they enjoyed (raisins, dates, wine). It is interesting to recognize that Jesus says by the fruit we'll recognize them – in short our actions matter. While the Bible is clear that there are no works-based righteousness when we do decide to walk with Him, our works do in fact change.

As He explains the differences between good and bad fruit, as well as good and bad trees, the distinction appears to be clear – we all will fall into one of those camps. Just like a pine tree cannot pretend to be an apple tree no matter how many apples get nailed to it, pretending to be something we are not doesn't seem to shake out very well either. After much reflection it appears when we truly surrender to Him, at that point we begin to produce good fruit and that's worth getting excited about. Now, for the bad ones, there will be a day where it's bonfire time. Jesus is extremely direct here and it doesn't seem to be a scare tactic but more of an effort to make us recognize how vitally important it is not sit idly by.

Questions to Consider

1. How can I tell if something is fake?
2. What evidence of fruit do others regularly see in your life?