“By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 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.” -Matthew 7:16-20 (NIV)
We live in a world where words are cheap. Declarations are easy. Anyone can say, “I’m a follower of Christ.” But does saying it make it true?
Jesus tells us plainly: “By their fruit you will recognize them.” Not by their words, not by their church attendance, not by the size of the cross they wear around their neck—but by their fruit.
If you have to tell someone you are a follower of Christ, maybe the real question is, why isn’t it obvious? If Christ lives in us, then His love, His mercy, His righteousness should be unmistakable in the way we live, the way we love, the way we serve.
Think of the people in your life whose faith you admire. Did they have to announce it? Or did you just know by how they treated others, how they spoke, how they carried themselves?
James 2:18 says, “Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds.”
The world doesn’t need more self-proclaimed Christians—it needs more people whose lives proclaim Christ without a word. It needs people who walk in humility, who love without condition, who seek justice, who extend grace, who forgive freely.
So let’s ask ourselves today: Does my life make it clear that I follow Jesus? Or am I still trying to convince people with my words?
Because when the fruit is there, you won’t need to say a thing. People will know.
