Unless others should be made better within the sphere of their influence, they would be like the fruitless tree. Their wealth was not to be used merely for selfish purposes. They were to relieve the wants of the destitute, and to make free-will offerings to God to advance the interests of his cause. They should not abuse their privileges, to oppress, but should shield the defenseless, redress the wrongs of the injured, and thus give a noble example of benevolence, compassion, and virtue, to those who were inferior and dependent. If they made no change in their conduct, but continued to be extravagant, selfish, and void of principle, they would correctly represent the tree bearing no good fruit. This lesson is applicable to all Christians. The followers of Christ should evidence to the world a change in their life for the better, and by their good works show the transforming influence of the Spirit of God upon their hearts. But there are many who bear no fruit to the glory of God; they give no evidence of a radical change in their life. Although they make high profession, they have not felt the necessity of obtaining a personal experience for themselves, by engaging in Christian duties with hearts of love, intensified by their new and holy obligations, feeling no weight of their responsibility in doing their Master’s work with readiness and diligence. {2SP 56.2}

Medmindre andre skulle komme inden for deres indflydelse, vil de være som frugtløse træer. Deres velstand skal ikke kun bruges i selvisk øjemed. De skal lindre de nødlidendes mangler, og gøre frivillige ofre til Gud for at fremme interesserne i hans sag. De bør ikke misbruge deres privilegier, til at sætte sig imod, men bør beskytte den forsvarsløse, afhjælpe den såredes fejl, og derved give et ædelt eksempel på godgørenhed, medfølelse, og dydighed, for dem som var lavere stillet og afhængig. Hvis de ikke laver om på deres opførsel, men fortsætter med at være ustyrlig, selvisk og principløs, vil de rettelig repræsentere træet som ikke har gode frugter. Denne lektie kan alle kristne bruge. Over for verden bør Kristi efterfølgere bevidne en forandring i deres liv til det bedre, og vise ved deres gode gerninger Guds Ånd forvandlende indflydelse i deres hjerter. Men der er mange som ikke bærer frugt til Guds ære; de beviser ikke en radikal forandring i deres liv. Selvom de gør sig høje bekendelser, har de ikke næret det nødvendige i at få en personlig erfaring for sig selv, ved at engagere sig i kristne pligter forstærket ved deres nye og hellige forpligtelser, ikke mærker noget tungt i deres ansvar for at gøre deres Mesters arbejde, med klarhed og flid.