“Out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks” (Luke 6:45b).

We planted several fruit trees when we moved to Maryland, and it wasn’t long before we realized getting delicious peaches, pears, cherries, and apples took significant work. In the fall, the trees required proper pruning. In spring, we sprayed for pests, applied the right fertilizer, protected fragile blossoms when the predictable late frost struck, and thinned the fruit as it began to set so we would have larger peaches and not small, less tasty ones. The end product was worth all that work.

“No good tree bears bad fruit” (Luke 6:43); that was certainly our aim. But Jesus isn’t offering gardening advice here, although the symbolism is apt. While these few verses could apply to the works that arise from living a Christ-centered life, Jesus pointedly focuses on our words: “out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks” (45b). The heart overflows with whatever I have planted, watered, and fertilized there. I can nurture negative attitudes as well as positive. What I say and how I say it expose the condition of my heart. 

Have you ever said something, feeling you were being honest, but quickly realized your words revealed something negative, even ugly, about yourself? Did you try to back away, defensively? I didn’t really mean that. (Well, yes, I did mean it; I’m just sorry now I said it.) It’s difficult to constantly mask inward feelings with hypocritical words; eventually, truth will out. 

Could the strategies used to encourage trees to a bountiful harvest apply to our words? How do we tend, fertilize, and prune what’s in our hearts so that our words honor our Savior? Both trees and our attitudes are beset by pests, frost, lack of water. Ignore those, and the fruit and our witness pay the price. 

Cultivating good fruit and Christ-like words takes work. But, oh, the pay-off.

Is it time to get out the pruning tools? 

• Lord, what do I need to cut back in my heart? 

• Jealous words that belittle others? 

• Selfishness that makes me the center of every conversation? 

Is it time to destroy the destructive pests trying to eat your fruit? 

• Lord, help me put to death the critical attitude eating at the core of my heart, destroying my witness and infecting others around me. 

• As the right chemicals help the tree, what application will help here? 

• More time in the Word? 

• Deeper study to identify how blessed I am, how little (if any) cause I have to feel superior? 

Maybe it’s just time to mix the MiracleGro. 

• Lord, soak me in your Living Water. Let it prepare me for the day ahead as I read Scripture. Lord, nourish my heart and words so they reflect You.