Verses: Matthew 7:15-20
My thoughts about the verses:
We need to start with
the two types of trees in this world.
There are trees that bare great fruit.
Think about it we get our best apples, oranges, and so many different
great blessings from healthy trees.
These trees are designed by God to bare the fruit that brings sustenance
to the world. The second tree does not
bare good fruit. Many times the fruit
that they do produce is dangerous for consumption. Many do not even bare fruit at all.
This picture really
shows how a tree from a distance can look cool or unique. Yet, if you know the story of the honey
locust you would found out how dangerous is to the environment. A honey locust can reproduce at rapid
rates. As they grow their thorns can
start being a barrier for animals and their grazing fields and water. This eventually creates a strangulation type
of feel for that area of land. Many
farmers try all they can to get rid of them so that they will not affect their
livestock or wild animals. In some
locations there are so many honey locust (for example Australia) that they have
changed the landscape and grazing land of many animals.
Trees that produce good
fruits provide sustenance. They provide
a safe environment for the animals. The
good trees cannot produce bad fruit. It
may go bad on the ground but that only happens because we do not collect
it. Yet, the fruit that comes from a
good tree will never produce fruit that isn’t up to the standards of God.
People are much like
these two kinds of trees. The first
group will seem as if they are doing the right things. Yet, they are not representing God in fact
they are leading people away from God. This
group will lead people to believe in things that are full of flawed hope. They seem as if they know what they’re
talking about. Yet, instead of leading
people to God’s salvation they lead them down other paths. When you think of these leaders you can think
of many leaders of cults. The people
will believe that what they are saying is the true words of God. Yet, if you look at many of these cults the
leader eventually decides that their cover is coming off.
Many have led their
people to perform mass suicides. I am
reminded of the Jonestown Suicides. The
people had come to follow Jim Jones because of his charismatic behavior. Yet,
when things started to fall apart he began teaching his people to prepare for
the end. The taking of their lives was a
further statement of their love of God.
In 1976, many of the followers went along with the suicide when things
went wrong for Jim Jones.
Then there are the
healthy trees. They teach people about
love. They mold people to follow God
because of the gift of salvation and peace that they have. They are not building a cult for their own
reward or satisfaction in life. Instead,
they are leading others to follow the Living God.
I think back to one of
the most important leaders of the Christian community Paul. Paul believed that Christians were
blaspheming the God that he loved. Yet,
through the power of a miracle he comes to see that Jesus is the True
Savior. He then attempts to spend the
rest of his life reaching out to those in the world who were Gentiles to teach
them the love of God. Yes, he was
creating a following. This was not a
following for himself but a following for the One Living God.
We have to remember to
look closely to the trees (leaders) that enter our life. We have to decide their heart to determine if
we should trust them. There are many
leaders who seem to be doing things with their life being focused on God. Yet, if you look closer they are only doing
things that benefit themselves than God.
Therefore, we need to always must be careful who we choose to follow.
Prayer:
We love you God for all
you have done in our lives. We thank you
for sending people to lead us to your love.
We ask you dear Lord to help us choose the right people to follow. Help us follow those that love God and are
not acting like they love God to only get personal gain. In the name of the Living God we pray. Amen
Questions:
Who are you following?
Are you following someone that is leading for their own gain? Are you following someone because they want
you to grow closer to God? If you are
following a wolf in sheep’s clothing what do you need to do today?
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