During the time he was in Jerusalem, those days of the Passover Feast, many people noticed the signs he was displaying and, seeing they pointed straight to God, entrusted their lives to him. But Jesus didn’t entrust his life to them. He knew them inside and out, knew how untrustworthy they were. He didn’t need any help in seeing right through them. (The Message)

Perhaps we can be too quick to declare that someone has come to Christ? It’s understandable, of course, that we are excited and ebullient when we witness new found faith. But there is a caution in today’s short passage: not everyone who appears to be converted actually is. We have our disappointments, do we not? But Jesus is never taken by surprise. He knows people through and through.

‘He’s a truly converted man’, I heard someone declare about a friend of mine who professed faith some years ago. I could only agree. It had seemed to be a miraculous and ‘whirlwind romance’ with Jesus. But in very little time he was no longer among us, and I don’t know where he is today. The plant had shot up, and for a time appeared impressive, but he had all too soon withered. The initial euphoria we felt was quickly replaced with a frustrating sense of loss and sadness.

By all means, let us rejoice over every sign that God is at work in a person’s life. But also, may we walk wisely and carefully and patiently among men. It can take time for genuine ‘fruit’ to appear. We have so much to learn from Jesus.