Root Before Fruit

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The Fruit That Grows from a Guarded Heart

Wellspring Within

Matthew 12:22–37 — A Lenten Reflection

“Make a tree good and its fruit will be good… 

For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.” 

Matthew 12:33–34

When Jesus heals the blind and mute man, He restores both sight and speech. Yet the response of the religious leaders reveals something darker: suspicion instead of joy. Jesus answers with a searching truth — a tree is known by its fruit. Words, tone, and reactions expose what lies within. Lent invites us beneath the surface of behavior to examine the condition of the heart. As Proverbs reminds us, “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it” (Proverbs 4:23). The fruit of our lives flows from this hidden source.

The desert fathers spoke of eight troubling thoughts that disturb the inner life: gluttony, lust, greed, anger, dejection, apathy, vainglory, and pride. These are not merely outward sins; they are inward distortions. Left unattended, they shape our speech and actions. But Scripture does not leave us diagnosing the problem without offering hope. Paul describes another kind of fruit — “the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control” (Galatians 5:22–23). Notice the contrast. Where anger dominates, the Spirit grows gentleness. Where greed rules, generosity and goodness flourish. Where pride rises, humility and faithfulness take root. The fruit of the Spirit stands as the quiet opposite of the eight disordered thoughts.

This is why Lent is not about suppressing bad fruit but about inviting a new root. We pray with David, “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me” (Psalm 51:10). Renewal is God’s work. As we abide in Christ, the Spirit cultivates what we cannot manufacture. Good people are not those who simply manage their behavior; they are those who allow God to transform their hearts. When the root is healed, the fruit changes. And as the Spirit’s fruit ripens in us, our words and actions begin to reflect the life of Christ Himself.

Prayer

Heavenly Father,

Guard our hearts and cleanse what is disordered within us. Create in us clean hearts and fill us with Your Holy Spirit. May love, joy, peace, and gentleness grow in us, so that our lives bear good fruit for Your glory.

Amen.