The Fruit of Trump
Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thorns, or figs from thistles? In the same way, every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. Matthew 7:15–17 As a United Methodist clergy person, I’ve had to defend my “fruit” in order to move forward in the ministry candidacy process. My character has been, and will continue to be, judged by the results of my work, the impact and influence of my words on others, and whether I bring out the best in people or whether I harm others. That has me thinking: maybe we should apply that same fruit-focused litmus test to our political candidates. The thing that absolutely bothers me most about Trump’s candidacy and election is that he creates, stirs, and/or emboldens hate in some people… and that is scary as hell, particularly for my friends of color, friends with disabilities, friends who id