From the Inside

Matthew 12:33-35

Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit. O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.

In August of 1961, East German authorities began construction of what they called the Anti-Fascist Protection Rampart. The rest of the world called it the Berlin Wall. More than three million Germans had fled from Communist rule, escaping to the West, and the government wanted to stop these escapes. As the construction work went on, the wall grew taller and more secure. The story goes that at one point, guards on the East German side of the wall threw bags of trash over the wall into the West Germany zone. The next day bags filled with food and clothing were thrown back across the wall with a note that read, “Each gives what he has.”

The things that we give to those around us—our words, actions, and contributions—reflect what is within our hearts. When we do good to others, we are demonstrating that the Spirit of God is working in our hearts, and we are following the example of the Lord. When Peter was preaching to Cornelius, he said, “How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him” (Acts 10:38). The key to improving the way we act toward others is not in changing what we do outwardly but in changing how we think inwardly. When our minds are filled with the Word of God and our hearts are controlled by the Spirit of God, it will naturally produce good fruit in our lives.

Growth Principle: 

What matters most in our hearts will eventually be displayed through our actions and words.

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