Fruity Wisdom from Dear Friend, Agrees with Scripture

2.5 minute read
"We are not supposed to be anyone's judge, but we do need to be fruit inspectors!"  a wise friend recently shared with me.

Have you ever cut into a beautiful apple, and found a surprising brown spot inside,
 or despite the flawless exterior, the inside had a major problem with texture and flavor? 

I recently had a discussion with someone about fruit that was noticed.  It was not good, and seemed to not line up with what God's word says about good fruit.

I said, "I totally believe someone can be saved, but have a spot of yucky stuff in their heart, or produce some really yucky stuff..."

Indeed aren't we all sinners?
Don't we all "mess-up," sometimes?

I know I do.
I know I have my weaknesses.
My fruit is not always ripe, perfect, flawless, for sure.

Why is it good to be a fruit inspector?
If you are not inspecting fruit around you consider this:

Galations 5:22-23 tells us that the good fruits of the spirit  are: 

LOVE
JOY
PEACE
LONGSUFFERING
GENTLENESS
GOODNESS
FAITH
MEEKNESS
TEMPERANCE

What would the opposite be?  Bad Fruits:

absence of loving care
dismal or grouchy mood (visibly = no self control)
agitation or aggravation
brashness, gruffness
evil, mean, insensitive to others, acting in self interest with no regard for others
lack of self control over temper or anger

Those good and bad fruits can take countless different forms.............. 
but the good are good and the bad are bad.  

Keep hangin' with the bad stuff, and you will be sad. 

Proverbs 13:20
He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed

Psalm 107:17
Fools because of their transgression, and because of their iniquities, are afflicted.

Ecclesiastes 7:9
Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools

Ecclesiastes 9:17
The words of wise men are heard in quiet more than the cry of him that ruleth among fools.


If you aren't inspecting fruit then it could be that you are "enabling someone's sinful pattern."  It could rub off on you, or you could get the stink on YOU when the sin causes a blow-up.

We should inspect fruit on tables that we are called to, tables we fellowship at, tables of our home and work place.  

What are the fruits we contribute?  
What are the fruits in the lives that we choose as BEST FRIENDS?

What happens when someone you love is in a pattern of producing some BAD FRUIT ??   There are no easy answers and it is definitely the yucky side of this life.  I will speak to that question in a future post.




In the meantime, be encouraged to be a fruit inspector by the light of the Sonshine we find illuminated in scripture.

I would be thrilled if you referenced to scripture in the comments, to address a related thought, or just shared from your heart.    

Blessings dear ones,
Tammy @
Grandma Mary Marthađź’—

Comments

  1. I am so careful about my friends now that I am almost fifty. I love everyone but I think having friends who are equally yoked is important. Marrriafe isn’t the only place where relationships have a profound influence.

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    1. I probably share your approach. I (because of God in my life) may feel love towards ALL of a particular group or circle, but NOT choose to be in the middle of them, as FRIENDS.

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  2. Needful post, Tammy! Most people quote Matthew 7:1 to prevent what you advocate in this post. We need to be teachable and know none of us is perfect yet. When we see bad fruit, we should correct in humility and love as Gal 6:1 admonishes us: "Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted." (KJV)

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    1. Thank you Edith for visiting. This post actually came to me, after watching a friend question why some basically bad stuff always happens to her.... and it is spill-over from "bad fruit," that she has quite contentedly ignored. I don't have all the answers but I know that if you hang out with people that produce good fruit, then you are less likely to get the residual rotten STINK on you.

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  3. This is lovely..never heard this before and it is so refreshing and true..fruit inspectors!!! Wow! Yes..we look for the fruits and it is a big indicator of many things and can save us a lot of pain.

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    Replies
    1. This is a lesson that has naturally become more important to me later in life.

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