Never respond to shade coming from trees that bear no fruit.

– Author unknown

We allow all kinds of sources to influence our lives. How often do we step back and think about whether these voices are worthy of being listened to? I love this quote because it is asking just that. Are the voices you’re listening to healthy and productive themselves? According to Merriam-Webster to “Throw Shade” means a subtle, sneering expression of contempt for or disgust with someone—sometimes verbal, and sometimes not. Sometimes the loudest, most convincing words are not even from a person you would EVER choose to model your life after, but we listen because they are eloquent and convincing. This has been going on since the beginning of time. Does this remind you of any particular conversation? Perhaps, Eve and the serpeant in the Garden of Eden…

Genesis 3:2-5 The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, ³ but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’” ⁴ “You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman. ⁵ “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

We all know the rest of the story as we are still living out the consequences of Adam and Eve following the advice of the serpeant. In our world, the voices just seem to get louder and louder every single day from all sources. Each individual believes they are correct and you dare not question their understanding. It is a bit of a pickle to know who to listen to! It probably isn’t the best choice to listen to the loudest voice. How about the most educated? Maybe, but where is their education from and with what added agenda? Most successful? Based on what? This list could go on and on with no real resolve. A biblical, and much better approach, is to listen to those who are actually bearing good fruit. 

Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness and self-control.

The Bible spells out clearly what the “fruit of the Spirit” is defined as. Most of the voices around us aren’t exemplifying these qualities and thus we should dismiss their input into our lives. I urge you to stop for just a moment….and really think about whether the voices that you listen to contain this fruit. It is a real treasure to find a source with these qualities in our present day. It is also worthy to note that the Bible doesn’t list all these fruits out and say “or” like one person could not contain them all. This verse specifically states “and”. We should desire ALL the fruits of the Spirit and find others with the same aspiration.

The Bible tells us how to spot those we are NOT to listen to….. 

Matthew 7:15-20 “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. ¹⁶ By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? ¹⁷ Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. ¹⁸ A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. ¹⁹ Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. ²⁰ Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.

Could it be said in any simpler way? “A bad tree cannot bear good fruit.” Period. Stop listening to bad trees that cast shade and offer you rotten fruit. We have much more important purposes here than to spend our time deciphering what is worthy of listening to. So instead of finding ourselves in these precarious situations where we are never really sure who to listen to, take these scriptures to heart. As the old 1984 Wendy’s commercial used to say “Where’s the Beef?”; we need to be asking “Where’s the FRUIT?” If there isn’t any, then walk away and instead of “throwing shade” their way; share the love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control of Jesus.

Colossians 1:9-10 We continually ask God  to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God

I can’t conclude this post without acknowleding who should be our ultimate source for everything, our Almighty Father God. These verses again remind us that Jesus is the true vine and we can trust the Father to prune off what is not of him. We are to remain in him so that we can bear much fruit. God is our source of life. A voice we don’t have to determine whether he is worthy. Let us all dismiss the unworthy sources, stay connected to the true vine and bear good fruit.  

John 15: 1-8 “I [Jesus] am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. ² He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. ³ You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. ⁴ Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. ⁵ “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. ⁶ If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. ⁷ If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. ⁸ This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.