By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, 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.
–Matthew 7:16-18
I fully recognize that we were not created to be fruit inspectors. This reality was drilled in me, and as a result, I often looked with disdain on the Pharisees and legalists that seemed to see the devil under every rock. While the term did not exist at the time, they would cancel those that did not live up to their high standard of morality. Ironically, while I looked down on them for such cancelling behavior, I was doing the same to them. Doing a plank check on myself, I have had to seek a healthy balance of condemning sin and offering grace to those that are willing to repent. This has also caused me to consider the reasons why some choose inappropriate and/or sinful behaviors. It is true that in most cases I would not do what they do, but I have sought to understand where they are coming from.
With all of that in mind, consider that ignoring misbehavior is not loving. Imagine that I have gone ahead and see that the bridge is out ahead. It is loving to go back and make sure that other motorists that come upon the bridge are aware of that fact. Failure to do so will lead to injury and/or death. Love means I must offer warning. I hope to convince them that they need to take a different route. Some may not believe me; ignoring my heartfelt pleas, they will drive off of the edge. They are responsible for their own lives. But if I am an unfaithful watchman… If I fail to tell them, then I am responsible for the destruction ahead. Too many in the church today struggle to find the balance. We seem afraid to offend by calling out sinful behavior. Of course, we need to do this with love and respect.
For over two decades now I have worked with men and women who are struggling with addiction, mental illness, and other life issues that have led to them being homeless. Over that time, I have seen again and again how these men and women make a series of choices that have led to their situation. While some will blame society, family, schools, or government for their problems, it is certain that if they cannot find something to take responsibility for in their lives, they will not ever heal, they will still be homeless next year and the year after that.
I remember working with a young lady many years ago. She would come into the shelter that I worked at with a bit of shame, but a joyful expression, that we were there ready to give her another chance. Over the first week, she would clear her head from her latest drunken escapade. During that time, she would begin some self-care to include regular hygiene, Bible reading, prayer, and stability. After a week, she would begin rushing around town applying for jobs as a server in several different restaurants. Because she was very friendly, she would often be offered three to four jobs. I would sit with her and discuss which one or sometimes two jobs to take. Life would be good, and she would come back to the shelter and tell stories of her customers, and we would laugh or cry over the adventures. She would praise God for her job.
After a month or so, she would have saved up enough to get an apartment from a slumlord and move out. She usually committed to continuing prayer and joining a church in the neighborhood of her work or apartment. I would not hear from her for several months. Then driving through town, I would see her doing community service wearing an orange jumpsuit with big bold letters on her back INMATE. Then a couple of months later, she would show up again at the shelter with shame and the cycle would begin again.
One day while sitting with her, I talked through the cycle, and we compared it to a hamster wheel. I encouraged her to do something different, to get off of the hamster wheel, to break the cycle. I lost count on how many times I had the hamster wheel conversation with her as I watched her complete that cycle time and time again. I don’t know if she ever got off of the cycle. I moved across the country, but I am hopeful that she took some time to consider the fruit of her life, that my words spoken with love, are echoing in her head and that today she is free of her painful life.
Even though I am not a fruit inspector, I am responsible to share the truth spoken in love so that fruitfulness is possible.
