Ecclesiasticus 27:4-7 / 1 Cor 15:54-58 / Luke 6:39-45
We know this common saying: Do not judge a book by its cover.
This is quite true because the cover of the book does not really say much about the contents of the book.
Nonetheless, the cover of the book will still have some information like the title and who the author is.
The title and the author might already give an idea or an indication about the contents of the book.
Going by the title of a book, it is difficult to say what the book is about.
But whatever the title of a book may be, the author will be the one who will give us the most information about the book.
Because from the author, we will generally know the category of the book.
So, from the author, we will generally know whether the book is about history, or fiction, or mystery, or self-help or self-improvement.
And the author's background will also tell us about his character and his orientation.
In a gospel, Jesus gave a teaching using a tree and its fruit as an example.
A tree is not judged by its height and size, or by its branches and leaves.
Rather, a tree is judged by its fruit.
In fact, by its fruit, we will know the species of the tree.
Using the tree and its fruit as an example, Jesus goes on to teach about how to tell the character of a person.
Jesus says that no sound tree produces rotten fruit, nor would a rotten tree produce sound fruit.
The point of the teaching is this: A good person draws what is good from the store of goodness in his heart.
A bad person draws what is bad from the store of badness in his heart.
Jesus then made this statement that summed up His teaching:
For a man's words flow out of what fillls his heart.
That should certainly make us think about the words that come out of our mouths.
As Jesus said, our words are a reflection and an indication of what fills our hearts.
In a way we are like a book. A book cannot be judged by its cover, nor can a person be judged by his looks and appearance.
But when a person speaks, his words will reveal his character.
So too, our words will reveal to others our character and integrity.
And our words will also reveal whether we listen to respond, or we listen to understand.
Because, quite often, even before the other person has finished speaking, we are already forming words to respond, instead of listening to understand.
So, speaking and listening are like the two covers of a book.
Let us speak in a way that others would love to listen to us.
And let us listen in a way that others would love to speak to us.
Then we would be like a good book that others would love to read.
May we also be like a book that tells others of the love of God.