URC Daily Devotion 24th January 2019

‘No good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit; for each tree is known by its own fruit. Figs are not gathered from thorns, nor are grapes picked from a bramble bush. The good person out of the good treasure of the heart produces good, and the evil person out of evil treasure produces evil; for it is out of the abundance of the heart that the mouth speaks.

Reflection

I don’t know – but this all seems to be a bit ‘black and white’ for me. It’s as though there’s something of a binary position here and surely that can’t be right? It seems too simplistic for me. I mean, can a good person not do bad things? Can a bad person not do good things? Can you not do the right thing but for the wrong reasons? Or vice versa?

And where does this passage leave me? A human being with faults and failings but, also I like to think, some good points too. I’ve done wrong things – does that mean I’m all bad? What about the good things I’ve done?
There’s a lot of talk about companies being ‘carbon neutral’ – they’ll plant trees to offset some of the environmental damage their operations have caused or something similar.

To be honest; that’s the best I can hope for. To be ‘neutral’ with the good counterbalancing the bad. If I can tip the scales on the side of ‘good’ then so much the better.

Just try not to catch me on a off-day, eh?

I’m going to make mistakes.
So forgive me when they happen.
My life can’t be black and white,
help me to be a lighter shade of grey.
Amen

Today’s Writer

Leo Roberts is the Children and Youth Development Officer for the North Western Synod

Bible Version

New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised Bible: © 1989, 1995 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved

Author: David Wiggs

I am the webmaster for Purley United Reformed Church and have been involved with the church since my late teens. I work in Croydon and live in Caterham.