Fruit Stapled to a Dead Tree

Picture a dead tree in your yard. You could buy apples at the store and staple them to the branches. From the street it might look healthy for a week or two. But the tree is still dead, and the apples will rot where they hang.

That is what changing behaviour without changing the heart looks like. New habits, new rules, a better list: they can look good for a season, but they can’t make a dead tree live. Jesus said, “every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.” The fruit tells you about the tree.

That is why Proverbs says, “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.” Fruit grows out of the heart. If the heart is set on God, the fruit follows. If it isn’t, no amount of staples will hold.

As you make plans for this year, don’t only ask what you want to do differently. Ask God to work on the tree.