Comparing Apples To Oranges | Matthew 7:16-18

“You can identify them by their fruit, that is, by the way they act… A good tree produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit. A good tree can’t produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can’t produce good fruit.” Matthew 7:16-18

Jesus, in this parable, is describing the test for discerning the true nature of people and whether or not they are in alignment with God’s will and his work.

Are you producing good fruit in your own life? Do the choices you make on a daily basis and the interactions you have with others reflect the character of Jesus? Sometimes, well meaning Christians do themselves a disservice when they compare their fruit to the fruit of other christians.

For example, a brand new believer shouldn’t expect to show the same amount of progress as someone who’s been walking with the Lord for forty years. But here’s the point: a tree can only produce the fruit it was specifically designed to bear. You wouldn’t expect an apple tree to start bearing oranges, would you?

In the same way, you shouldn’t compare yourselves to others or try to mimic the gifts of someone else. The fruits of the spirit—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, and self control (Galatians 5)—remain the same and are available to anyone walking in the power of the holy spirit, of course. The key is in recognizing that the same fruits can be displayed in a variety of different ways among different people.

That is the beauty of the unique contributions we each make to God’s kingdom when we walk in step with the Holy Spirit.

Today, ask God to reveal the specific areas in your life where you can bear more fruit through the gifts He has placed in you.