Known by Our Fruit: A Tree-Cutting Parable

My front yard tree was struck by lightning

For my “Beauty for Ashes” art series, I chose to cut the fabric pieces with straight, sharp points for emphasis—representing the ashes of darkness, despair, and grief. While thinking about my next design, I envisioned fabric pieces with rounded, flowing corners, as if they were moving with the Holy Spirit. That meant I would have to trim my pieces into new shapes. I could spend an entire day just cutting. That’s when the phrase “like pruning” came to me.

I had two trees in my front yard—one big with deep roots, and one small with shallow roots.

One was cut down, but which one was it?

The Big Tree – Deep Roots

The big tree was already tall and well-established when I bought the house. It had many large branches, including two that hung so low I had to duck under them when I mowed the grass.

It provided welcome shade, but maintaining it was costly. I had to hire a tree service to remove two massive branches—measuring 25 and 46 inches in diameter. Even after pruning, it continued to drop a huge amount of brown leaves. Despite thinning out the top branches to reduce the risk of breakage during high winds, I still had to rake multiple times, filling 25 leaf bags annually.

As it grew, its roots began to crack the sidewalk—creating yet another expense.

Then, on a stormy night—February 26, 2021—the tree was struck by lightning. It survived, but the open wound allowed carpenter ants to infest it.

The Small Tree – Shallow Roots

The small tree had sentimental value. I bought it about ten years ago with my mom, and we planted it together to give extra shade to my bedroom window.

It was small enough to fit in the back seat of my Honda Accord with its branches sticking out the window. As we slowly drove home from the garden nursery, we left a trail of leaves behind us and laughed at the double-takes from passing drivers.

As it grew, it shaded my window with beautiful fall-colored leaves—unlike the big tree. I didn’t mind that it added more leaves to rake. But it also dropped a massive number of sticky berries that sprouted where they fell. If I didn’t pull up the seedlings quickly, my yard would have more trees than grass.

So… are you wondering which tree survived the chainsaw?

At first glance, both trees—with all their issues and expenses—might not seem worth keeping. But the decision wasn’t just about the problems. It was about roots—both literal and spiritual.

Jesus says in John 15:1–2 (NKJV):

“I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.”

Jeremiah 17:7–8 (NLT) adds:

“But blessed are those who trust in the Lord and have made the Lord their hope and confidence. They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water. Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought. Their leaves stay green, and they never stop producing fruit.”

These two scriptures show us that fruit is a good thing, but not all fruit is good.

Like trees, Jesus said, we are known by our fruit.

Matthew 7:17 (NLT) says:

“A good tree produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit. A good tree can’t produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can’t produce good fruit. So every tree that does not produce good fruit is chopped down and thrown into the fire. Yes, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit, so you can identify people by their actions.”

Let’s take another look at the small tree.

Its outward appearance is beautiful but deceiving. Its sticky berries symbolize a kind of “fruit” that multiplies like sin, bringing calamity, not blessing.

Sentimentality can blind our judgment. We often cling to things not because they’re good, but because they remind us of good times. But nostalgia should never overshadow godly wisdom.

We know roots anchor a tree. And just like a tree, our roots in Jesus anchor us when trials come, building a strong foundation of faith that can withstand storms and thrive in the power of God.

Matthew 7:24–27 reminds us that we’re called to be built on a firm foundation with Jesus as our cornerstone. Unanchored roots are uncontrollable. The small tree’s roots were heading toward the house, jeopardizing the firm foundation.

Colossians 2:7 (NLT) encourages us:

“Let your roots grow down into Him, and let your lives be built on Him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness.”

As Psalm 1:3 promises:

“He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper.”

So, if you haven’t guessed by now, it was the small tree that was removed.

In life, choose to be the big tree with deep roots. We can make a mess of things when we don’t let God do some pruning within us. He knows what needs to be cut and removed for our own good, so let Him cut away any sharp points and bad fruit.

Yes, life sometimes leaves scars, but don’t worry about outward appearance; focus on the heart where true beauty begins. If we anchor ourselves to dig in and go deep, not only will our faith grow stronger—it will prosper.