On Azimuth

¹⁶ You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? ¹⁷ So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. ¹⁸ A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. ¹⁹ Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. ²⁰ Thus you will recognize them by their fruits. Matthew 7:16-20

As the election season crawls to its bitter end, my text and email in-boxes and social media accounts fill up with all manner of messages seeking to influence me to vote for one candidate or another. Much of what they send does not really seek to earn my vote. They seem focused on spending their time attacking their opponent in the most vituperative of language, speaking of an ominous future should their opponent gain office. Since I am a Christian, the various algorithms that drive my feeds tend to show me things that they think I will like, much of which seeks to convince me that one candidate is the Christian candidate while the other is in league with dark forces. They forget that Jesus already gave us guidance on how to deal with this type of situation, how to evaluate someone.

We must look at a person’s fruit. What kind of fruit does their life bear? Do their actions precipitate good results? Do they maintain good and healthy familial relations? Do they enjoy a good reputation in the business world? These and other similar questions give me key indicators concerning a person’s spiritual state. I trust fruit much more than I do any paid political ad. Some will reply that doctrine matters.

Doctrine does matter; but, Jesus did not tell me to judge by doctrine. I like to think that I have pretty good doctrine. I read and pray daily. I’ve been walking with the Lord for quite some time. I attend worship service regularly. I’m active in the congregation where I attend. But I still have doctrinal issues. I know this because I’m human and ultimately depend on God’s grace and mercy. In heaven I will stand amazed at how wrong I was and God still extended grace and mercy to me despite my doctrinal errors. That is why fruit is so important, it indicates a relationship to the source.

⁵ I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. John 15:5

So, when I look at a person and want to evaluate their relationship with the Lord, I look at the fruit in their life. I can say anything. I can tell my wife I love her; however, if my life does not bear the fruit of love, she will soon tire of my blandishments. She wants and needs evidence, fruit, of my love for her. Words matter, but action matters more. It is the same with political aspirants.

A candidate may say anything, and in this day of burgeoning AI, project anything; consequently, I evaluate the fruit of their life, giving it more weight than any text, meme, or paid political advertisement. I want to see what tree they are connected to. Good fruit, fruit of a positive well conducted life, shows me what tree they are rooted in. A life full of the wreckage of failed relationships and questionable decisions tells me what I need to know. In a like manner, a life filled with the good fruit of stable, steady relationships, a good reputation in the working community they move in, tells me what I need to know. A person who has made seriously questionable decisions in the past is likely to make questionable decisions in the future. In the political realm, party affiliation doesn’t really tell me anything. A person can belong to either party and still be a scoundrel. When choosing someone to represent me, I want to see evidence, fruit, of sound decision making, not chaos. But the most salient question really is, what kind of fruit would someone see in my life?

I can do precious little to change how candidates and political parties conduct their campaigns. They will do what they think will work to secure them victory when the ballots are counted. I can, however, work on my own life. First, I can take a serious look at the fruit my life is producing. Is it good fruit or is it bad fruit. I will produce fruit of one kind or another. That is the nature of our existence. We produce fruit. If I’m unpleased with the quality of my fruit, then I must take steps to alter it. The primary step I must take is to ensure that I’m connected to Jesus, the source, the vine. If I am connected to Him, then my fruit will be good since I gain my sustenance from Him. So in this election season when my mind turns to fruit, I should first check the quality of my own fruit first.

Thought Questions:

1. Do you examine the fruit of someone’s life, especially someone who’s running for public office?
2. How do you examine their fruit?
3. What do you consider good fruit?
4. What do you consider bad fruit?
5. What kind of fruit is your life producing?