Savage2Saint Sobriety June 24, 2024

"Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit." - Matthew 7:17 (KJV).

What kind of fruit is YOUR tree producing? In Matthew chapter 7, Jesus tells us that good trees produce good fruit and bad trees produce bad fruit. That's a pretty simple concept, isn't it? It is until you take it from the literal meaning and apply it in the figurative way Jesus intended it to be. What Jesus was trying to say is that actions will tell you about a person far more than anything that person can or will say. Jesus is saying that regardless of what any of us say, our actions speak louder! When we say we are a child of God, then we take on characteristics of the One who created us. Just like parents pass on characteristics to their children, our Heavenly Father passes on characteristics to His children when we become born again.

The Apostle Paul gives us a list of "bad" fruit in Galatians 5:19-21, and "good" fruit in Vss.22 & 23. The "good" fruits are, "But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!" - Galatians 5:22,23. This list has commonly become known as the Fruits of the Spirit. This is a list of the characteristics that God's children should begin showing when they become a new creature in Christ. And this is where doing a spiritual inventory can become a much-needed tool in every Christian's walk with God.

So, what is a spiritual inventory? A spiritual inventory is a checklist of godly tools that help us become more like Christ. Think about this, when a store does an inventory, they make a list of things they need and things they don’t need:

Bad Fruit = Lusts of the Flesh = Don't need.

Good Fruit = Fruits of the Spirit = Need.

A spiritual inventory is done in the same manner. I do realize, having worked in retail where inventories were necessary, that inventory day is not something to look forward to, but this is different. I compare a spiritual inventory to being a kid getting to mark his/her height on the door jamb of their house. Don't you remember being excited to see how much you had grown? A spiritual inventory can be viewed the same way...a measure of how much you have grown in the Lord.

Doing a spiritual inventory from time to time is a great way to measure what’s on the inside by what is coming out on the outside. Jesus also said in Matthew 7, “Ye shall know them by their fruits.”( Vs. 16). Remember, our testimonies are our best tool to bring non-believers into the fold. Don't let lingering bad fruit cancel out the good fruit in your testimony. People are watching what we do far more than they listen to what we say. Let the good fruits of your testimony be what does the talking in the way you act towards and treat others. God Bless!