“You will know a tree by its fruit”
Jesus said that — but what does it mean?
Think of a tree as a biological computer. Sunlight and rain are its main inputs. Over time, the tree processes these inputs through its roots, cells and leaves. Eventually, a fruit is outputted. You recognize a healthy apple tree because it produces big juicy apples.
You are also a biological computer of sorts. Your input is life experience. As life experience makes its way through your root system (think of this as your genetic programming, your belief system, etc.), it triggers various thoughts and feelings. What is the eventual output? Your actions. People know you — not via your life experiences, not via your thoughts and feelings, not via your stated goals and priorities — but through your actions.