The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly (or Beautiful)

HOW TO RECOGNIZE THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UGLY (OR BEAUTIFUL)

YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT YOU DON’T KNOW

Did you ever just blurt something out and have no idea why? Well, I don’t recommend it, but there have been a few times when I did that and realized that it wasn’t me, but the Holy Spirit who initiated the comment. He can always recognize the good, the bad, and the ugly (or beautiful).

One day a student came to me. He was a senior, very intelligent, artistic, and sensitive. He had never had a real girlfriend before and he was telling me about a young lady he was going to ask to prom. As the day of the dance drew closer, he seemed to become more and more infatuated. His comments always centered around how beautiful she was. He arrived at the dance that night with his drop-dead-gorgeous date (she really was). She was wearing what I would describe as a scandalous gown, and, long story short, she paid more attention to every other male in the room than she did to my young friend.

The next Monday, he asked me what I thought about her. I answered, “Son, you have to be careful with wisteria.” That came from … where???

I had no idea why I said that, but it turned out to be prophetic. They lasted about three months and then, she crushed his heart.

“BEWARE WISTERIA, THE BEAUTIFUL KILLER”

Have you ever seen Wisteria?  It has lovely hanging clusters of purple blossoms. I remember a tree that I used to pass on the way to school. In the spring, it was amazing. I had no idea what was really happening, that all that beauty was killing the tree that held it up.

In his article “Beware Wisteria, The Beautiful Killer” (April 14, 2021), Greg Crews explains, “My distaste for Wisteria does not spread across the genus but only falls on the two Asiatic species, Wisteria sinensis and Wisteria floribunda, which are both non-native, introduced species that have become exceptionally invasive in the urban forests of the Mid-Atlantic. This flowering vine will establish itself quickly in nearly any garden and begins climbing anything it can reach. Once fully established it will begin its spread through both seeds and above-ground stolons. A small trellis of Wisteria beside a deck or patio can quickly turn into a backyard filled with vines and nearby trees being overwhelmed. As the vines grow they climb as high as possible to seek out sun and will climb to the top of 50- to 70-foot tall trees, the whole time growing in diameter and slowly choking the tree. Heavy infestations can choke out entire trees and even woodlots… Large infestations may require chainsaws, herbicides, and even the ever-popular goat to get things under control. It may take several years of repeated treatments to fully eliminate the vines. 

“Wisteria should definitely be kept away from children or curious pets as the smooth and sizable seeds are very poisonous. And the rest of the plant poses a smaller threat, but still a threat if eaten.”

I have noticed that many people think that beautiful equals good. Not always. Sometimes, the beautiful things can be toxic.

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?

We have all heard, “Don’t judge a book by its cover.” If not by appearance, how can we discern the good, the bad, and the ugly or beautiful? The advice is biblical:

Matthew 7:15-20 says, “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thorn bushes or figs from thistles? Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Therefore by their fruits you will know them.”

So we are not told that we shouldn’t judge, but that we shouldn’t base our conclusions only on how things appear on the surface. The fruit can indicate the good, the bad, and the ugly (or beautiful). 

John 7:24 reinforces, “Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment.”

When Samuel the priest was sent to anoint the next king of Israel, the Lord told him, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7-8).

THE FRUIT DOESN’T LIE

So instead of grafting into the beauty vine, perhaps we should seek another option–the fruitful vine. Jesus said, “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5).

My favorite Tolkien quote says, “All that is gold does not glitter. Not all those who wander are lost.” We can’t discern value based on appearance alone. Whether it’s a prom date, a church, a job, a group of friends, a political candidate, the good, the bad, the ugly, or the beautiful, can only be judged by studying the fruit. You don’t know what you don’t know, but the fruit doesn’t lie.

God bless you, and give you an abundance of good fruit.