“By their fruit you will know them.” — Matthew 7:16
You can’t hide what you’re rooted in.
It shows up in what you produce.
Paul draws this contrast in Galatians 5. Two kinds of fruit. Two kinds of life.
One rooted in the flesh—self-centeredness, pride, rebellion. The other rooted in the Spirit—surrender, transformation, God’s presence.
And they produce completely different outcomes.
When you’re rooted in the flesh, here’s what grows:
Sexual immorality. Impurity. Idolatry. Selfish ambition. Hatred. Jealousy. Fits of rage. Dissension. Envy. Greed. Deceit.
“The wages of sin is death.” — Romans 6:23
Sin promises freedom but produces bondage.
It corrupts what’s good. Love becomes lust. Confidence becomes pride. Rest becomes apathy.
What you think is feeding you is actually eating you.
But when you’re rooted in the Spirit, something different emerges:
Love—selfless, sacrificial. Joy—deep contentment in God. Peace—inner rest, reconciliation.
Patience. Kindness. Goodness.
Faithfulness—steadfast, reliable. Gentleness—strength under control. Self-control—mastery through the Spirit, not willpower.
“The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace.” — Romans 8:6
The Spirit’s fruit shows the evidence of God’s kingdom at work in you.
Not what you perform. What you become.
So the real question isn’t: Do you look productive?
It’s: What are you actually producing?
Are people safer around you or smaller? Does your presence bring life or drain it? Does your work build or just consume?
The fruit doesn’t lie.
You can manage your image for a season. You can fake the appearance of health.
But what’s growing from your roots—that eventually breaks through.
What you’re rooted in determines what you produce.
And you can’t feast on the Spirit if you’re gorging on the flesh.