Me, Myself, and I… An Unholy Tree, Beware of the Bad Fruit!
Matthew 7:15-18 “Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they? So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit.
We are told that we must learn to love ourselves before we can love others. Of course, this idea of love, must be defined as that which makes the unholy tree (me, myself, and I) happy… healthy… wise… and most importantly, independent of all outside forces to accomplish.
In the past, I totally agreed with this form of encouragement. In fact I evangelized it, thinking it would cure all the personal ills, I would strongly advise those in depression, those with anger issues, those with image problems, those with, any and everything that failed to make their life happy/healthy/wise/ and independent, to, “Love yourself with your whole heart, your whole soul, and you whole strength!”
Of course, that was when, not only wasn’t a believer in God, I totally hated Him for being God. (I wonder how many acclaimed atheists today, are just like I was? Claiming to NOT BELIEVE, they hate Him with all their might.)
Today, I have changed my tune. My hypothesis today is, we ALREADY love ourselves… mostly with “bad fruit” from the poisonous tree of our sin nature.
I believe, what we truly need to learn is, what true love is! What good fruit from the good tree is.
It’s NOT the fruit determined by our unholy tree (me, myself & I), or the unholy tree of those who have been enthroned as an expert grower of fruit trees of love. We love conditionally. We love when the fruit produces the profit margin we demand. We love in the good times and hate in the bad times. Our nature (bad tree) sends out false prophets, who dress in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. Because of sin we have become the bad tree that only bears bad fruit and cannot produce good fruit from the union of our unholy trinity.
Who is the good tree that only bears good fruit and can only produce good fruit?What is the good fruit of love? What does it really look like?
You will know them by their fruits.
Does it prove itself in taste and sight and nutrition, or become the tasteless goo to cover the meaningless communion wafer?
Does the fruit of love encourage us to give the energy and work necessary to maintain the quality of the fruit, or does it discourage any effort as being unnecessary or useless?
Does the love offered save from being alone and or forsaken? Does the fruit fill the body with peace… and joy… and wonder?
Does the fruit of the tree cause within, the desire to return the love with the same intensity and passion it continually gives? Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 1 Corinthians 13:4-7
If the love we offer, or the love that is given is not even close to this kind of fruit, it is NOT the 1 Corinthians good fruit of love, from the good tree. It is the bad fruit from the bad tree of the false prophets.
God is what the good fruit of love looks like! Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. 1 John 4:7
He made us with love… For You formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother’s womb. I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Your works, And my soul knows it very well.Psalm 139:13-14
He knows us through love… You know when I sit down and when I rise up; You understand my thought from afar. You scrutinize my path and my lying down, And are intimately acquainted with all my ways. Even before there is a word on my tongue, Behold, O Lord, You know it all. Psalm 139:2-4
He surrounds us with love… You have enclosed me behind and before, And laid Your hand upon me. Psalm 139:5
His love never leaves us nor forsakes us… Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend to heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, You are there. If I take the wings of the dawn, If I dwell in the remotest part of the sea, Even there Your hand will lead me, And Your right hand will lay hold of me. Psalm 139:7-10
His love is in control… My frame was not hidden from You, When I was made in secret, And skillfully wrought in the depths of the earth; Your eyes have seen my unformed substance; And in Your book were all written The days that were ordained for me, When as yet there was not one of them. Psalm 139:15-16
His love fills us with joy, encouragement, and security… How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How vast is the sum of them! If I should count them, they would outnumber the sand. When I awake, I am still with You. Psalm 139:17-18
His love saves us from the false prophets of our natures… “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. John 3:16
His love is the reason there is love at all! We love, because He first loved us. 1 John 4:19
**All Scripture quoted comes from the “Bible Gateway” app and is the NASB version of the Bible unless otherwise noted.