“For there is no good tree which produces bad fruit, nor, on the other hand, a bad tree which produces good fruit” (Luke 6:43).
We typically use this verse to judge the quality of spiritual lives of other people. We look for fruit and find none that satisfy our own religious expectations. We then come to the conclusion these people are not living like true believers. They must, therefore, be a bad tree!
By doing this, however, we demonstrate that we’ve completely missed the point of this particular verse. It is essential to notice the “for” at the head of this verse: “For there is no good tree….” It’s there to provide an explanation or reason for the previous verses. And purpose of the “for” here is very counterintuitive.
By looking at the previous verses we can see what the “for” is there for:
“Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take out the speck that is in your eye,’ when you yourself do not see the log that is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take out the speck that is in your brother’s eye” (Luke 6:41-42).
The fruit we are supposed to look for according to these verses is our own! Bad fruit according to the context refers to being consumed with a speck in our brother’s eye, all the while failing to notice the log in our own. Good fruit, on the other hand, is our own self-awareness that we, more than anyone else around us, have a lot of room to grow.
By being consumed with the bad fruit in other people, we are completely blinded to the bad fruit in our own lives, and fail to realize that everyone else around us sees it!
O that we seek for God to prune our lives first and foremost so that we can attract people with our good fruit rather than repulse them with our thorns!
“For each tree is known by its own fruit. For men do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they pick grapes from a briar bush. The good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth what is good; and the evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth what is evil; for his mouth speaks from that which fills his heart” (Luke 6:44-45).
