Not Judges, Fruit Inspectors

 

“By their fruit you will recognize them. ”

—Matthew 7:16

Our current culture loathes judgement and judgmental people. The culture desires absolute freedom to do whatever people want to do without anyone objecting to either their actions or the consequences of their actions.

When it comes to how we treat fellow Christ-ones, Jesus instructed His followers in Matthew 7:1-5:

“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

“Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye?

“You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.”

Therefore, we must not judge our brothers and sisters in Christ with harsh and condemning words.

But, Jesus didn’t stop there. He continued His instruction in Matthew 7:15-20:

“Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.

“By their fruit you will recognize them.

“Do people pick grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles?

“Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit.

“Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

“Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.”

So, as believers we are not to judge. But, we are to choose carefully those from whom we will receive instruction.

In other words, we are not to act as judges. But, we are to carefully inspect fruit. We should do so from a viewpoint of Christ-honoring love; never harshly, always with gentleness and humility.

We must remove our judicial robes, but don our inspection jackets. And, that’s exactly what we should do.

 

_{Copyright © 2015 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

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