What’s Hanging on Your Branches?

Beware of false prophets who come disguised as harmless sheep but are really vicious wolves. You can identify them by their fruit, that is, by the way they act. Can you pick grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles? A good tree produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit. A good tree can’t produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can’t produce good fruit. So every tree that does not produce good fruit is chopped down and thrown into the fire. Yes, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit, so you can identify people by their actions.
—Matthew 7:15-20

Your actions and words matter. Period. I always tell our youth groups that the way they act and speak, even when no one is watching, shows their true character. The choices we make in private shape the fruit others eventually see in public. Jesus isn’t calling us to perform for an audience; He’s calling us to live with integrity. Who are we when it is just us and God?

In other words, what’s on the inside always shows up on the outside. Words can sound holy, but Jesus tells us to look at how we live our lives, not how we are labeled by others. Good trees produce good fruit just as healthy faith shows up in love, humility, generosity, and faithfulness over time.

Have you ever heard the acronym WWJD? It means What Would Jesus Do? While I love this acronym, I love DWJWD even more. Do What Jesus Would Do. It’s a statement not a question. Not just in big, public moments, but in everyday decisions and quiet moments. When we let DWJWD guide us, our lives begin to reflect Christ more clearly, and the fruit we bear points others toward Him.

Prayer

Lord, help us to be trees that bear good fruit. Shape our hearts so that our actions reflect Your love, even when no one else is looking. Remind us to always “Do What Jesus Would Do.” Amen.