“For no good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit, for each tree is known by its own fruit. For figs are not gathered from thorn bushes, nor are grapes picked from a bramble bush” (Luke 8:43).

Mmm! I savor the delightful flavor of a mango as the sticky yellow juice drips from my hands. The best part of living in the tropics is the wonderful variety of fruits available here. Most of the trees in Thailand bear some kind of fruit. Some are edible, such as bananas, mangos, papayas and lychees. Others produce an abundance of interesting seed pods—long flat ones with little bean-like seeds, long round ones with thick coin-like seeds, winged seeds, and seeds with feather-like projections. Then there are trees that produce beautiful flowers but not much in the way of seeds.

As I sit looking out my front window, banana leaves wave in the cool “winter” breeze. Banana plants are ubiquitous here and grow wild in undisturbed areas. There is an amazing variety of bananas. The large yellow variety common in North American supermarkets is joined here by numerous varieties to which I have given my own names. There are the tiny finger bananas and the squat yellow-and-green-mottled seed bananas. There are pink bananas and ones that look like clam shells. Each has its own appearance and flavor, and all are edible.

The Flamboyant tree or Flame tree produces an abundance of large, brown, woody seedpods filled with a dozen or more kidney-bean-sized seeds. Though not edible, the seeds are functional, producing multitudes of new trees whose feathery leaves provide welcome shade during the hot season. Their beautiful orange flowers brighten the sky.

One of the best-known tropical trees, the plumaria, does not produce any noticeable seeds. The star-shaped white, yellow or pink flowers have a wonderful fragrance that is most prominent at night. But unlike most tropical plants, the seeds of the plumaria tree are seldom recognized. They are very small, pale brown, and strongly resemble dead leaves. Though the tree is highly valued for its lovely flowers, one must search hard to find its seeds or fruit.

As I thought about the Plumaria tree, I recognized that it is a lot like some Christians. They may be highly valued for their beauty or their abilities, but they don’t produce much if any fruit. “Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire” (Matt. 3:10).

Are you allowing the Spirit to produce love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control in your life? (Gal. 5: 22, 23).

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