Apples Worth Eating

11.20.2010

Matthew 7:17 17 So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. ESV

In Luke, Jesus makes the comparison of good trees and bad trees. Here in Matthew, He compares healthy and diseased. A good tree is a tree is one we would go to find fruit worth eating (or for some beneficial use). We would normally shy away from the bad trees for the reasons of bad (or unbeneficial) fruit or no fruit at all. We won’t look for apples on a tree that doesn’t bear them.

A diseased tree though is a tree with another story – good trees may become diseased. Diseased trees may (through diligence and effort) become healthy. Bad trees are bad and there’s no changing them. Diseased trees may be healed. I think most of us, if we are anything at all, are diseased; or healthy. I’ve not known too many bad trees, but I sure have been around a lot of unhealthy ones.

All trees, good or bad may become diseased; what happens after that depends on the caretaker of the trees. If we can infer from Jesus’ analogy that people are like trees, then every one of us is born with the propensity for disease and only through a wise and capable Caretaker may we go from disease to health. If good trees are the godly, then even the godly may become unhealthy from time to time and need of restoration. All I know to do is to seek God and seek His capable care in order for me to remain healthy. My health will be proven by the fruit I bear, and through the love and presence of my Maker, I ought to bear apples worth eating.

Father in Heaven,
No tree cares for itself – only You care for trees. People are sort of the same way and without You there is no cure for our disease. Yesterday is gone but with lessons learned and tomorrow isn’t here yet – so today I pray for Your care to keep me healthy that I may bear good fruit for You – amen.