Some people look spiritual for all the wrong reasons. Jesus singles them out. He calls them “false prophets.”

Why do they choose to be false? Because some people trust spiritual-looking people for all the wrong reasons.

Jesus offers a couple warnings near the end of his lesson.

People can look like good people because they are bad people. My guess is that they are very good at the externals of looking like sheep. Their credentials are perfect. The costume fits well. They are better at being sheep than most sheep. But inside they aren’t just bad sheep. They are wolves.

Don’t look at what teachers say, Jesus says, look at the results of what they say. Shifting metaphors, he suggests that any tree can glue the right kind of leaves on, but only apple trees can naturally grow apples. He will take this image further in John 15 where he talks about us being branches attached to his vine. The fruit will be Jesus’ fruit.

I struggle with this fruit-bearing requirement. I wonder, often, whether my writing invites people to say “good thought” or “that hurts” instead of helping them change from the inside. I know that both compliments and change can happen. I want always to be aware of helping people take the next step, to think about the next lesson, to ask Jesus the next question.

It’s interesting how concerned Jesus is with actions, with behavior, with obedience. Here he says,

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.”

And he will reinforce this message at the end of the book of Matthew (28:20):

“Teach them to obey everything I have commanded.”

To implement this idea of looking for results, look at what follows behind teachers and preachers and each other and yourself. Are there baskets of fruit or sheep carcasses?

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From Learning a new routine. Reading the Sermon on the Mount a little bit at a time