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“Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Therefore by their fruits you will know them.”

Matthew 7:17–20, NKJV

Now, before we go judging others' fruit, let’s be reminded of who the judge of our fruit is. As the Holy Spirit works in us, the sin-sickness that affects us all is being healed. What is the fruit we produce? Good works. Yes. Yet how do we measure this? There are those who do good works in the world yet are not followers of Christ. Our good works in the world are not necessarily the fruit of the Holy Spirit. This does not excuse us from stopping in our work to help our neighbor, but it is meant to give us pause in how we judge. The good fruit is for God’s eyes to know and to judge, and we are to promote the work of Christ in the lives of all people. Our prayer is that God’s fruit is evident in us. We hope to reflect our Lord in how we live and treat others, so we may lead more into knowing His peace.

Let us pray. I thank you, my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, your dear Son, that you have kept me this night from all harm and danger, and I ask you to protect me this day also from sin and every evil, that in all I do today, I may please you. For into your hands, I commend myself, my body and soul, and all that is mine. Let your holy angel watch over me, that the wicked foe have no power over me. Amen.