Have you ever considered how difficult it is for a person to go against their own nature? It can be difficult for us to fake who we really are – especially for any extended period of time because our heart will always reveal the truth about us. That is why the bible tells us that we can know who people really are by their fruit. Just like it is impossible for a leopard to change its spots, it is also impossible for good fruit to be produced by a bad tree. Jesus puts it this way in Luke 6:43-45 which says:
"No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. Each tree is recognized by its own fruit. People do not pick figs from thorn bushes, or grapes from briers. The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks."
I believe that God orchestrated things this way so that it would be easy for us to discern the spirit of others. We can tell by their fruit. And even if they try to hide it, their true nature will always slip out, because what is in our hearts eventually reveals itself in what we say. Though it is impossible for a bad tree to produce good fruit, the bible also teaches us that all things are possible with God. That tells me that people can change, but not without the help of the Holy Spirit. The bible tells us that Jesus is the vine and we are the branches. We have been grafted in. We may have once been thorn bushes, but with the help and transformation of the Spirit, we can now produce good fruit through Jesus Christ in whom we abide.
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Jesus tells us that each tree is recognized by its fruit. A good tree bears good fruit and a bad tree bears bad fruit. I encourage you to examine your own heart. What kind of fruit are you bearing? What kind of heart do you have? I’ve heard it said that we are what we do. If that is true, what do you spend your time doing? What are you putting into your heart? I encourage you to spend time allowing God to prune your heart. Let the Holy Spirit remove anything that is rotten, and cultivate those things that reflect his nature. If we’re able to do that, I’m convinced that we will be able to bear much good fruit. Then out of the overflow of our heart, people will know that we belong to him.