Luke 6:43-49
“A good tree does not bear rotten fruit, nor does a rotten tree bear good fruit.” This teaching of Jesus is proven true, first of all, in the moral life of people. The innermost center of every individual is his heart. The person who possesses a pure heart will speak the truth and do what is right. From that individual come works of charity and mercy. But, the person with an unclean heart will not be true to his words and actions. From that individual follow immoral behavior such as jealousy and pride.
“Every tree is known by its fruit.” This Christian teaching is also discernible in the life of the family. The origin of the family are the parents. If the parents are righteous and God-fearing, chances are they will raise up children who are kind and responsible. But, parents who are cruel and vicious will most likely end up having children who are problematic and delinquent. This, however, is not true in all cases. Despite having bad parents, some children would grow to become good citizens because of the grace of God.
The challenge for us today is to possess virtues of godliness and righteousness. With the grace of God, we are hopeful to bear fruits of good actions and of children with good moral character.
