Daily Devotional: Good Fruit

Hello everyone! It’s great to have you back! Today, we’re diving into our daily devotional, offering a brief reflection to kickstart your day on a positive note. If you have a moment, take a look at Matthew 7:1-20 in your preferred Bible translation, then come back here.

If you’re short on time, read the following and note what stands out to you:

“Beware of false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will recognize them by their fruit. Do people gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? Just as every good tree produces good fruit, a bad tree produces bad fruit. A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit, you will know them.”

There are many paths within Christianity, with leaders sharing vastly different messages—from Joel Osteen and Martin Luther King Jr. to Mother Teresa, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Jerry Falwell, and Troy Perry.

How can you determine who to trust?
Jesus foresaw this challenge. Aware that he wouldn’t be around forever, he wanted his teachings and movement to endure. So, how could his early followers—and generations after them—identify what was trustworthy?

In Matthew 7, Jesus provides a framework for discernment: “When faced with a teaching, examine the outcomes of that theology. You’ll be able to discern its validity.”

When it comes to LGBTQ+ issues in Christianity, you might hear conflicting messages:

“Your queerness is a sin! Repent!”

“You may not have chosen it, but celibacy is required, and transitioning is not an option.”

“If you can closely conform to traditional, heterosexual monogamy, it’s acceptable to be gay and have a same-gender spouse.”

“Queerness is a beautiful and holy aspect of God’s diverse creation.”

So, consider the fruits. What do they produce?

The outcomes of anti-LGBTQ+ theology often lead to depression, despair, suicide, fractured families, loss of faith, bullying, and harassment.

In contrast, the fruits of affirming theology demonstrate its validity: renewed faith, mended relationships, and vibrant church communities.

Affirming theology yields positive results across the board: thriving faith communities, improved mental health, and healthy families. This holds true both in research and personal experiences.

Embracing and celebrating queerness produces good fruit. It’s a celebration, and everyone is invited.

Reflection Questions:
What beliefs have caused you anxiety or despair?
Which beliefs inspire joy in your life?
Are there any beliefs you’re wrestling with? What kind of fruit do they produce in your life?

Practical Exercises:
Choose an LGBTQ+ novel, movie, TV show, podcast, or YouTuber to explore. Reflect on what you learn from these stories.

List the “bad fruit” that has resulted from non-affirming theology in your life. Then, compile a list of the “good fruit” you observe in your life and in the lives of LGBTQ+ individuals you know. Consider burning, shredding, or burying the bad fruit, and display or frame the good fruit list.

That concludes today's devotional! I hope it has brightened your day. If you enjoyed it, please subscribe for more uplifting content. Thank you for joining me, embrace your uniqueness, take care, and stay positive until next time!

Footnotes:

Source: Kearns, S., & Murphy, B. (2020). "Queers the Word" - (Adapted for reflection on True and False Prophets). Scripture: Matthew 7:1-20).

Image Title: "Rainbow Harvest" Source: Midjourney’s image generation model.

These daily devotionals are intended for personal inspiration and may be shared as needed, including via our RSS feed. Interpretations may vary, so we encourage thoughtful engagement with the content. Please attribute appropriately when sharing to maintain integrity.