By Their Fruit

November 21, 2025

From Pastor Joseph Wamack

A slow driving man was being tailgated on a busy road by a fast driving, stressed out woman. She couldn’t get around him, so she was honking for him to speed up. And so when he stopped for a yellow light, rather than speed through the intersection, she lost her cool.

The woman pounded on the horn, screaming inside her car, as she had missed her chance to get through the intersection. As she let loose a stream of profanities and hand gestures coordinated to go with the profanities, she heard a tap on her window and looked up into the face of a very serious police officer. The officer ordered her to exit her car with her hands up. He put her in a squad car and took her to the police station where she was fingerprinted, photographed, and placed in a cell.

After a couple of hours, a policeman came to the cell and opened the door. She was escorted back to the booking desk where the arresting officer was waiting with her belongings.

He said, "I'm very sorry we arrested you. You see, I pulled up behind your car while you were blowing your horn, flipping the guy off in front of you, and cussing a blue streak at him. I noticed the “I’ve Been Redeemed!” license plate holder, the 'What Would Jesus Do" and “Follow Me to Church” bumper stickers and the chrome-plated Christian fish emblem on the trunk. Naturally, I assumed you had stolen the car. I thought no authentic follower of Jesus would behave like that."

Many people play a role so well, as they try to control the image they present to others. It is possible to dress the part, decorate our cars for the part, and consciously and conveniently attempt to control our outer image. But our insides, our hearts, might be full of something else. Eventually, our true selves show forth. Jesus said, “By their fruit you will know them.” (Matthew 7:16) Your fruit gives evidence of the kind of “tree” you are.

In the Gospel stories, Jesus called certain religious types “hypocrites” because they said one thing but acted another. The word “hypocrite” comes from a word meaning “an actor” or “pretender”. They are playing a part. It is not lived from the inside out. It is a façade. Say a prayer for the Pretender.

I want my life to have substance and impact because my beliefs and values are lived out, because my words and actions are congruent. I want the fruit grown in my life to be evidence of a healthy life connected to the vine of God’s grace. It’s less stressful to live an authentic life anyway and more real. I pray that for you too today.

MAC Family I pray for you, for me, for us, an authentic, real relationship with Jesus. I pray our hearts are full of the peace and presence of the Holy Spirit. I pray we long for Jesus to return someday, but we live for Him daily here on this earth. I pray our fruit is real, sweet and evidence of a deep rooting and connection to The Vine-Jesus.