What Kind of Tree Are You?

It takes a tree decades to grow tall and flourish, and only a few hours to bring it down in destruction. The life a tree lives and the kind of tree, determines its purpose and usefulness. 

If a tree grows too close to a building, it is a potential threat during storms. If it is a weak soft-wood tree, it can die easily. If it doesn't have good soil nutrients and is a fruit tree, it'll bear bad fruit, if any at all. If the tree is exposed to parasites and pestilences, it can be overcome by blight and malnourishment.

However, if the tree grows in the right location, with the right nutrients, and when someone takes the time to prune and fertilize it, it is good, healthy, and produces good fruit....That tree is loved and admired. So too is it with mankind. We spend our entire lives growing, some cared for and beautiful - others neglected, diseased, and ugly. But in a split second, we are destroyed through death. We all must stand before the Judgment Throne and see what kind of tree we were. 

Were we a tree who had a rotten core, who was weak and always dying in some area of our lives (sin)? Were we a tree who in storms, fell and damaged others? Were we a tree who had poor nutrients (surrounding ourselves with sinful influences or wolf-shepherds) thus through our sinful lives produced bad or no fruit? Or were we a tree that was healthy, beautiful, and produced abundant good fruit?

It takes a lifetime to grow, and only a moment for it all to end. Choose wisely each and every day what kind of tree, what kind of person you want to be. And if your choice does not revolve around being Christ-like and doing God's will in obedience to Him and His Word? Scripture says plainly what happens to you. 

Just remember, you can be a tree that looks strong and looks beautiful - walking the "Christian" walk and talking the talk as the cliché goes....but a beautiful tree can still have a rotten core, and a seemingly healthy fruit tree can still produce bad undesirable fruit if malnourished. Outside appearances can be deceiving. 

"....For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” 

- I Samuel 16:7

 And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

 - Matthew 3:10

13 “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. 14 Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.

15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. 16 You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thorn bushes or figs from thistles? 

17 Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 

20 Therefore by their fruits you will know them. 21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 

22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’

 - Matthew 7:13-23

Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace. 

- James 3:18

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. 24 And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

- Galatians 5:22-25