Devotion • October 28
Today’s Scripture Reading
Matthew 12:33–42
“Either make the tree good, and its fruit good; or make the tree bad, and its fruit bad; for the tree is known by its fruit. You brood of vipers! How can you speak good things, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. The good person brings good things out of a good treasure, and the evil person brings evil things out of an evil treasure. I tell you, on the day of judgment you will have to give an account for every careless word you utter; for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”
Then some of the scribes and Pharisees said to him, “Teacher, we wish to see a sign from you.” But he answered them, “An evil and adulterous generation asks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the sea monster, so for three days and three nights the Son of Man will be in the heart of the earth. The people of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented at the proclamation of Jonah, and see, something greater than Jonah is here! The queen of the South will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because she came from the ends of the earth to listen to the wisdom of Solomon, and see, something greater than Solomon is here! (NRSV)
Reflection
Jesus makes the metaphor about good fruit coming from good trees because his detractors are saying that he is in cahoots with Satan and his acts of healing are evil acts performed with evil power.
After cutting him down in this way, they insincerely ask him for a sign that demonstrates who he is. He has already been healing people and exorcising demons. He calls them an evil and adulterous generation, not because they ask for a sign, but because they are hardened against acknowledging the abundant signs they have already seen. Another sign won’t change their hearts. They are like bad trees with bad fruit, while Jesus has produced much good fruit already.
This makes me wonder if we are seeing the signs of God at work in the world now. When I get overwhelmed by the evil I see in the world I can find myself asking, “Where is God? Is God here?" Perhaps like those questioning Jesus I need to look around for the signs already here. Where do I see the good fruits of the good tree?
Jesus talks about the sign of Jonah, admittedly Jonah’s darkest days, when he was lost and believed he was going to die in the belly of the whale. Jesus, too, spent three days in the tomb. While Jonah lived after his ordeal, Jesus had died. But death was not the end of that story, and it’s not the end of ours. Jesus’s resurrection became the greatest sign of who he is — God who gives us eternal life.
Prayer
God who has created all, remind me to look for you all around me and within the miracle of my very life. Help me to see you in every healing, every kindness, every act of compassion. And let me become a sign to others of your great love for us all. Amen.
Written by Nanette Sawyer, Associate Pastor for Discipleship and Small Group Ministry
Reflection and Prayer © Fourth Presbyterian Church
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