Luke 6:43-49: a reflection

43“For there is no good tree that produces rotten fruit, nor again a rotten tree that produces good fruit. 44For each tree is known by its own fruit. For people don’t gather figs from thorns, nor do they gather grapes from a bramble bush. 45The good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings out that which is good, and the evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings out that which is evil, for out of the abundance of the heart, his mouth speaks. 46“Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and don’t do the things which I say? 47Everyone who comes to me, and hears my words and does them, I will show you who he is like. 48He is like a man building a house, who dug and went deep and laid a foundation on the rock. When a flood arose, the stream broke against that house, and could not shake it, because it was founded on the rock. 49But he who hears and doesn’t do, is like a man who built a house on the earth without a foundation, against which the stream broke, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great.”

Teaching that a person's true character shows in what they produce, Jesus says a tree is known by its fruit, and then applies it to the heart: The good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings out that which is good, and the evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings out that which is evil; for out of the abundance of the heart, his mouth speaks. What comes out of us, our words and deeds, reveals what fills our hearts. The fruit shows the tree; the mouth reveals the heart. We cannot finally hide what fills us, for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks, and our words and deeds show what treasure our hearts hold.

Notice the connection Jesus draws: what comes out of us reveals what fills our hearts. He does not say our words and deeds are unconnected to our hearts; he says they flow from them, as fruit from a tree. Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks; what fills us within comes out in what we say and do. Good in the heart brings forth good; evil in the heart brings forth evil. We cannot finally produce good fruit from an evil heart, nor hide an evil heart behind good words; the fruit reveals the tree, and our words and deeds reveal the true state of our hearts. What we truly are within comes out; the heart is shown by its fruit, and the mouth speaks from the heart's abundance.

That is worth taking to heart, for our words and deeds reveal what truly fills our hearts, and so we should attend to the heart. We can focus on managing our words and deeds, the outward fruit, while neglecting the heart from which they flow; but Jesus says the fruit reveals the heart, that out of its abundance the mouth speaks. What we truly are within will come out. To bring forth good, the heart itself must be good; managing the outward without tending the heart is not enough. Do not focus only on your outward words and deeds while neglecting your heart; what fills the heart comes out, and it is the heart that must be good. Attend to what fills your heart, for your words and deeds reveal it, and good fruit comes only from a good heart, as Jesus says out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks; for we cannot finally hide what fills us, and our words and deeds will reveal the true state of our hearts, so that it is the heart itself we must tend if we would bring forth good.

Lord Jesus, teaching that a person's true character shows in what they produce, you say a tree is known by its fruit, and then apply it to the heart: the good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings out that which is good, and the evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings out that which is evil; for out of the abundance of the heart, his mouth speaks. What comes out of us, our words and deeds, reveals what fills our hearts. The fruit shows the tree; the mouth reveals the heart. Show me the connection you draw: what comes out of us reveals what fills our hearts. You do not say our words and deeds are unconnected to our hearts; you say they flow from them, as fruit from a tree. Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks; what fills us within comes out. Good in the heart brings forth good; evil in the heart brings forth evil. I cannot finally produce good fruit from an evil heart, nor hide an evil heart behind good words; the fruit reveals the tree. What I truly am within comes out. Take that to my heart, for my words and deeds reveal what truly fills my heart, and so I should attend to the heart. I can focus on managing my words and deeds, the outward fruit, while neglecting the heart from which they flow; but you say the fruit reveals the heart. What I truly am within will come out. To bring forth good, the heart itself must be good. Keep me from focusing only on my outward words and deeds while neglecting my heart; what fills the heart comes out, Lord. Help me attend to what fills my heart, for my words and deeds reveal it, and good fruit comes only from a good heart, as you say out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.