Fruit Inspectors
Surely God is my help; the Lord is the one who sustains me.
Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them.
Matthew 7 is more famously known for verse 1 – “Do not judge or you too will be judged.” This verse is often memorized and processed back as, “Don’t judge me! Don’t you judge me!!”It’s interesting that only a few verses later Jesus says to watch out for the false prophets. Be on your guard, pay attention… protect yourself from these false teachers. And how will you recognize them? Not by outward appearances because they’ll look just the same as everyone else. No, they are wolves in sheep’s clothing! You will recognize them, Jesus said, by their fruit.As one of the ‘spiritual matriarchs’ in my life once said, “We are not to judge, but we do inspect fruit!” A good tree will produce good fruit. A bad tree will produce bad fruit. You will know a tree and the health of that tree by its fruit.Lord Jesus, You are my help and the One who sustains me. Help me be the one who sees the plank in my own eye before the speck in someone else’s eye. Help me to discern those who would be ferocious wolves so that I can guard my life and my family against what they would seek to do. You are my God, the One who sustains me. You are my help and I honor You this day.
Psalm 54:4
Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them.
Matthew 7:15-16
Matthew 7 is more famously known for verse 1 – “Do not judge or you too will be judged.” This verse is often memorized and processed back as, “Don’t judge me! Don’t you judge me!!”It’s interesting that only a few verses later Jesus says to watch out for the false prophets. Be on your guard, pay attention… protect yourself from these false teachers. And how will you recognize them? Not by outward appearances because they’ll look just the same as everyone else. No, they are wolves in sheep’s clothing! You will recognize them, Jesus said, by their fruit.As one of the ‘spiritual matriarchs’ in my life once said, “We are not to judge, but we do inspect fruit!” A good tree will produce good fruit. A bad tree will produce bad fruit. You will know a tree and the health of that tree by its fruit.Lord Jesus, You are my help and the One who sustains me. Help me be the one who sees the plank in my own eye before the speck in someone else’s eye. Help me to discern those who would be ferocious wolves so that I can guard my life and my family against what they would seek to do. You are my God, the One who sustains me. You are my help and I honor You this day.
