Jesus finishes His astonishing teaching on the mountain. With authority He speaks. Let us listen to His words – and let us act on them.
By our fruits we will be judged; if we bear good fruit we will stand strong on His day, but if our tree is rotten and our fruit corrupted, what awaits us but the fire? Our house shall collapse when come the winds and rain.
We may attempt to fool ourselves but, again (and always), the Lord looks upon our heart and He knows all our ways. The judgment, the unholy leaven that poisons our soul, He sees in the light of His presence. It is indeed as a wooden beam in our eye, blinding us regarding all we do and making all we do quite worthless. It will cause us only to be trampled underfoot.
But if we wish with genuine hearts to follow and serve the Lord our God, then all such foolishness we must put aside and walk the narrow path to heaven. (How shall our swollen heads pass through the straitened gates otherwise?)
Ask the Lord and He will give you strength, and He will give you guidance. Beg your Father; He will not deny any good petition of His children. If truly you desire His love and His life, then listen for His answer, set your soul upon His words, and do what He bids you.
He wishes you to love Him, yes, and to love your brother. He desires your obedient response, and so to work in His garden. He would see you a fruitful tree and a tender of those shoots around you. None would He have destroyed, but all come into His kingdom.
But we must listen to the Son’s words of truth, and do the Father’s blessed will.
O Lord, how shall I stand on your holy day,
I who am so filled with judgment?
How shall I find your perfect way,
who am so deaf to your commandments?
Help me to grow as a tree blessed by you –
setting aside all the evil in me,
let me come to dwell in your kingdom.