59. Доброе дерево

Like a good tree, so is a good, spiritually minded Christian. A good tree comes from a good seed. A good Christian is born from God's word, the heavenly and good seed, according to Scripture: “They are born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth forever” (1 Peter 1:23). A good tree is known by its good fruit. Likewise, a good Christian is known by his good deeds. A good tree produces good fruits from within. So a good Christian does good deeds from within, from the heart, and unfeignedly. A good tree shows good fruit, but does not make it good. Likewise, good deeds show a good Christian, but do not make him good. First, the tree must be good, and then bear good fruit, for an evil tree cannot bear good fruit (Matthew 7:17-18; Luke 6:43). Likewise, a Christian must first become good, and then do good deeds, for an evil person cannot do good. A good tree bears fruit for its owner and other people. Likewise, a good Christian does good deeds for the glory of the name of God and the benefit of his neighbors. The good fruits of a good tree, although hanging and visible on the tree, are attributed not to the tree itself, but to the good seed from which the tree grew. Likewise, good deeds, although a good Christian does them, must be attributed to the Good and Humane God, Who sowed a good seed in the human heart, and made him good, helps him, and strengthens him to do good. Without God it is impossible to be good and to do good, according to the words of the Lord: “Without Me you can do nothing” (John 15:5). The more a good tree is cleaned by a worker, the more fruit it bears. Likewise, a good Christian, the more he is punished and corrected by God the Heavenly Worker, the better he becomes and the more good deeds he does (John 15:1-2). A good tree gives its fruits to everyone indiscriminately, family and strangers. Likewise, a good Christian does good to everyone, friends and enemies, acquaintances and strangers, imitating the Heavenly Father, who “commands His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the just and the unjust” (Matthew 5:45). His house is open to every wanderer, and everyone who is hungry eats his bread. He will not let the naked go without clothing, if he has something to clothe. He will not refuse help to anyone who needs help if he can. With someone who is suffering and crying, he will shed tears and cry. He is the first to go to the grieving person with consolation, and tries, as best he can, to heal the wounded heart. With the one who rejoices, he rejoices over his well-being as if it were his own. Everyone seeks and asks for mercy from God, just as he does for himself. I would be zealously glad if I saw everyone saved. And if it were possible and I had something, I would help everyone in need. Seeing a brother sin, he does not judge him, but sympathizes with the spirit of mercy. This and other things are the fruits of a good tree! Christian! Become good and then you will do good deeds. And in order to become good, you must: 1) Turn to God with all your heart and be in true repentance. Without this, a person cannot be good. 2) Read God’s word and other Christian books with attention and meditate on them diligently. “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16–17). 3) Try to recognize the corruption and damnation of your heart. From knowing yourself will come humility and efforts to correct yourself. For the weak must first recognize the weakness of the weak and then seek healing. The beginning of health is the knowledge of weakness, and the beginning of correction is the knowledge of one’s misfortune and wretchedness. Who, seeing the deadly poison hidden within himself, would not wish to free himself from it with zeal? And who, seeing his destruction, will not try to get rid of it? Knowing yourself is the beginning of salvation. Know yourself, man, and unfeignedly admit your poverty and wretchedness before God. And give yourself into the hands of Christ, just as a weak person gives himself to a doctor, and then Christ will heal you! 4) Beware of all sin and force yourself to do all good, although your heart does not want to. The Lord, seeing such diligence and zeal for good, will show mercy to the one who is trying, and correct him day by day for the better. A weak person, when he wants to be healed, avoids everything that the doctor forbids him to do, although his desire leads him to do so. Likewise, a Christian must evade everything that the Heavenly Physician Christ forbids, although his heart does not want. Otherwise it cannot be healed. 5) Pray earnestly and ask for correction from Christ Himself, Who cleansed the lepers, enlightened the blind, and healed the weak. He will also heal our immortal souls if we fervently pray to Him and strive to do so ourselves, according to His false promise: “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and it will be opened to you; For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened” (Matthew 7:7-8). “Convert me, O Lord, and I will be converted... Heal me, O Lord, and I will be healed” (Jer. 31:18, 17:14), and without Him conversion and healing do not happen. You might be interested in: