One of the best things my mentor once told me is “don’t take financial advice from broke people.” If you do what they do, you will get the same results. That applies across the board in all areas. Don’t take marriage advice from someone with a struggling or failed marriage, or someone who has never been married. Don’t take parenting advice from someone whose kids are out of control. This makes perfect sense, yet we do this all the time. We listen to people in many areas of our lives and take what they say as fact, yet they continue to demonstrate that they do not know what they are talking about.
“Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?
Matthew 7: 15-16
My wife and I enjoy people watching. When our kids were younger, we would often sit and watch other parents interacting with their kids. We would watch the behaviors of the kids to know if this was a parenting tip we should use or avoid. We learned many good things that helped us be better parents. There are a lot of people that claim to be parenting experts, yet have no children, or at least no grown children. I can read books to learn what they know, but they do not have the experience. When I fly somewhere, I do not want a pilot who has read all of the books on flying, but has never flown a plane. I want a pilot who has logged many hours flying. It is the same in every area.
Today, more than ever, there are thousands of people claiming to be experts in a subject, yet they know very little about it. They have a YouTube channel, a Udemy course, or some other online class they offer so they can make a living telling people all about the things they have read in a book or watched on someone else’s YouTube channel. We live in a world full of false prophets. People proclaiming to be Christian, yet do not follow the teachings of Jesus. People that proclaim to be Godly, yet say the Bible is not relevant today. Maybe it is time we stopped listening to everyone that is trying to speak into our lives. There are many people who want our attention, and they are really good at distracting us from the truth.
Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.”
Matthew 7: 17-20
One of the challenges of our modern American church is that they are set up for failure. We have one pastor/preacher who speaks almost every Sunday. Over time, the church begins to revolve around that person, rather than Christ. It is not necessarily the fault of the pastor, but our human nature and a faulty system. As the church begins to revolve around that person, you start to hear phrases like, “Oh. That is pastor ____’s church.” The marketing materials for the church become more about the pastor and the sermon series than the church and Jesus. Then, something happens. The pastor quits, moves, or retires, and many in the congregation leave as well. Where is the fruit on that tree? Was the pastor leading people to follow Christ or himself? Again, not always the fault of the pastor. We have a failed church model that we cannot seem to get away from.
But, despite our failed church model, you can tell the quality of a pastor, a local church, a parent, a financial advisor, coach, or a person from any other endeavor by the fruit that is left behind. A quality person leaves quality fruit. Don’t take advice from broke people and don’t take spiritual advice from someone whose life does not reflect Christ. There are many people who proclaim to be Christians and proclaim the word of God, yet their lifestyle, actions, and words do not match up with the gospel. “By their fruit you will recognize them.”
Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and by your fruit you will be recognized as a follower of Christ.
