33 “Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognized by its fruit. – Matthew 12:33
This week just marked one year since we moved into our new house here in Knoxville, as I prepared for my appointment at St. Mark. The neighborhood in which we live had many new homes being built, and that have been completed in the year since we moved in. Over that year, we have had the opportunity to meet neighbors, and get to know some very well. During these last few months while we have spent more time at home than anticipated, and with the nice weather and being able to work in yard, we’ve gotten to talk (with proper distance) with our neighbors much more than before.
The woman who lives next door to us, is taking up gardening, and wanted to put some raised beds at the back of her yard. It was the same time I was working on moving dirt to better level my yard. She needed part of a hill side removed, and I could use the dirt. So I helped her by removing and leveling a place in her yard, and she helped me by providing a little more of the dirt we needed. As a “thank you” for the work done to get her yard prepared, she gave us a potted strawberry plant (she had one too many).
We attempted to take care of the plant, watered it, and found a nice place to hang it up. We would have gotten a few strawberries off of it, if the birds hadn’t gotten to them first. Then we forgot to do something. Around mother’s day the temperatures one night got very cold, and we forgot to bring the plant in, or put a cover of it. We continued to care for the plant, but unfortunately the plant had been bit by frost, and it didn’t survive. It was a good plant, the strawberries looked like they would have been wonderful, unfortunately something went wrong, the fruit, and then the plant went bad.
When Jesus speaks to the those “who have ears to hear” he tells them a quick little parable about a tree and it’s fruit. The truth is, we are most recognized by what we do, how we interact with one another, and the a attitude in which we treat others. We are recognized by our fruit.
There are times, that our fruit starts out good, just like our strawberry plant, but something happens, and perhaps we aren’t producing the same good and faithful fruit anymore. Unlike our strawberry plant, however, the care and nurturing given to us by God, and our connection to a family of faith can get us going again, and help us to once again, produce good fruit.
I know it’s been a while since we have had the opportunity to encourage one another in person and through our Sunday School classes, and Bible studies, however, I hope and pray each day you are encouraged by God, and that you are nurturing the love of God inside of you, that you might produce good fruit now and always for the glory of God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.
Grace & Peace,
Sam