Mt 7:15-20
[Jesus said to his disciples,] 15“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but underneath are ravenous wolves. 16By their fruits you will know them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17Just so, every good tree bears good fruit, and a rotten tree bears bad fruit. 18A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a rotten tree bear good fruit. 19Every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire. 20So by their fruits you will know them.”
By their fruits you will know them. We appreciate trees for the fruits they give us. There are big, magnificent trees that do not bear fruits but refresh us with their shade. Some other trees produce fragrant leaves, but their fragrance alone makes these trees lovable.
Not all of us may bear great fruits, but we can all do good to others. Some call this saving grace or saving factor. Let others discover an inkling of goodness in our barren lives. Let the Lord find some usefulness in our unspent lives. Let us offer some small kindness despite our selfishness.
There is goodness in everyone; it just gets lost or hidden. A man may be strict yet very caring to his kids. Another person may be nasty yet work so diligently. A friend, who is stingy, is so generous with her time. People have some saving factors about their seemingly dubious character. We just have to know them more because their fruits may not be so obvious.