To what can I compare this generation? It is like children playing a game in the public square. They complain to their friends, 'We played wedding songs, and you didn't dance, we played funeral songs, and you didn't mourn.' For John didn't spend his time eating and drinking, and you say, 'He's possessed by a demon.' The Son of Man, on the other hand, feasts and drinks, and you say, 'He's a glutton and a drunkard, and a friend of tax collectors and other sinners!' But wisdom is shown to be right by its results." Matthew 11:16-19[NLT]
For many years, religious leaders have judged others from the outward instead of the heart. "Man looks on the outward but God looks on the heart." 1 Samuel 16:7 A heart full of unbelief displeases God no matter how much work we're "doing for Him." But a heart that believes God pleases God.
When we believe God we please our Heavenly Father. Hebrews 11:6 It does not matter how much church business and "Kingdom work" we do, none of it really matters if we really don't "BELIEVE GOD."
People claimed John to be possessed by a demon. On the outward he was dressed in camel hair and had a leather belt around his waist, he was fasting out in the wilderness eating locusts and wild honey. But the Bible declared John was preparing the way of The Lord. Jesus on the other hand, feasts and drinks and the religious say He's a glutton and drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners. John came "fasting" and they called him crazy, Jesus came feasting and they called him a lush and a friend of riffraff.
Jesus began denouncing the towns of Korazin, Bethsaida and Capernaum, places where He worked the hardest yet people responded the least. Where he had done so many of His miracles and still they hadn't repented of their sins and turned to God. He even said Sodom will be better off on judgement day than those towns. Only God can judge a man’s heart but the evidence of true change will be seen in our fruits.
Jesus says wisdom is shown to be "right" by its results. Jesus' life produced results, John's life produced results. The NKJV says it this way,"wisdom is justified by her children." How much teaching and study of God's Word are we digesting, retaining and most of all activating and reproducing? Have we truly repented and turned? What fruit is coming from our lives and being poured into others? Jesus and John, both, produced results and fruit, sometimes we get our eyes focused on what "a package" "looks like instead of allowing its results and fruit to speak for themselves. I hear your Fruit!
Prayer
Thank you Jesus that no matter what the package looks like, having You on the inside of us can make us fruitful. Thank you Jesus for a fruit-filled week. In Your name I pray, Amen!
Let me hear from you, Please comment below! Share! In what way will you let your fruit speak this week?
