By Their Fruits?
What does it mean that "...by their fruits" we will know them? What are their fruits?
To know someone by their fruits is to know them by their actions. The actions and behaviors of someone will remain true when their speak does not. An example of this is someone who goes around telling people that they need to be more generous but you notice that he is stingy with his money. The fruit of his life, the actions and behavior of his life, betrays his true nature.
Actions always determine who you really are, not by mere words. So "fruits" are exactly what Kon said "actions". I am always surprised by people who are easily impressed by a good speech or by the ability of someone to speak properly and nicely, yet those things do not impressed me in the least but a good fruit from maybe a not so very knowledgable man is what is important. In my opinion of course.
But then, doesn't that happen with our world leaders all the time? People are constantly being impressed by a good speech, then screwed when they take office. So many world leaders like to make global speeches and national speeches to look good. But when it comes down to what they actually do, it doesn't amount to a hill of beans.
While I will not dispute anything that has been said I wish to offer just a small twist of my opinion.
The phrase "...by their fruits" I would classify as the impact someone has made. While it is suggested that this speaks of their actions I believe it may more specifically be outcome or result of their actions. Some examples of why I say this:
"By the fruits of their labor" when speaking of a house builder wouldn't be that he builds a house but would be the house that he built.
"Fruit of my loin" isn't the act of conception but rather the child when it is born.
In the life of a pastor it is not the sermons he has preached but rather the lives that were touched. I will example Rev Billy Graham. It is not to talk about what great sermons or speeches that he has preached even though this is very true. But when you speak of him it is more that within his ministry God was able to save thousands of souls.
This should be taken as Jesus meant it to be.
You know a tree by its fruit. So would you eat a bad apple? No, so you will look for a tree that is going to give you good fruit, or in other words apples that make you feel good about eating them, give you energy and all of that. You cannot tell how good a tree is by just looking at it at least not always, so best thing to do is wait til you see what kind of fruit it gives and you know!