Fruits. They do not lie. Unless you cannot distinguish a pineapple from a porcupine.

A person can hide secret text messages from you, hide a secret relationship from you. Hide monies they’ve been stealing from your business or gossip behind your back. The truth, a form of fruits, is like a dead fowl drowned under water. It is just a matter of time, it will float to the top.

A person’s current financial position, current job and connections are fruits of their past decisions, current attitude and lifestyle. It might not mean they are stuck in those conditions forever. If their current situation is abysmal, it can certainly change for the better if there’s a change in the attitude, thinking and habits that led to that condition.

Fruits do not lie. Pay attention and be realistic about your analysis of people. Let it guide you in selecting a date, in choosing a business partner or mentor. Let it guide you in your choice of friends and connections.

A person seems humble, hardworking, intelligent and friendly, yet is financially broke, not married, not dating and doesn’t seem to have much to show after many years that you expected that person to rise very high in life. It could be that they chose the narrow path of integrity and decided to shun corruption and ill-gotten gain. It could also be that despite their good qualities they have some weakness in their interpersonal relationships. Perhaps, they were impatient and left a job that didn’t offer much money but had the potential to create bigger financial opportunities through the people they served or the people they came into contact with in the course of their job.

It could also be that despite their nice qualities they had anger issues and instead of learning to respectfully present their grievances to their superiors, they chose to leave their job in anger and when they needed the recommendation or assistance of their former boss, they couldn’t go back.

It could be that they are inexperienced in relationship matters- accepting and loving one’s partner unconditionally, being forgiving and learning to overlook offences, being patient with one’s partner and trusting them even though that partner might not be worthy of the trust, thereby forcing him or her to live up to that confidence placed in them.

Whenever you meet a person, take time to study him or her closely. Watch their current stage in life and try to find clues in their past decisions, current attitude, habits or lifestyle that might have contributed to their present condition. Coupled with a clear picture of the kind of friends or associates you want, it won’t be difficult to separate chaff from wheat or distinguish pineapple from porcupine.

It is true that people change for the better with time but that will only happen when along the road there’s a change in anything that had a hand in their current situation that they are not proud of.

If you want your life to change for the better, take a critical look at where you are in life presently. Fruits of your past decisions, attitude and habits all around you. If you’ve developed great qualities that will enhance your life and you are not seeing results, please be patient and don’t give up. But if you know deep down that there are aspects of you that need to be worked on, be honest with yourself and be humble and disciplined enough to do whatever it takes to create that refined version of your current self. And keep at it, always in the process of becoming a better person. There’s never a final version of yourself.

Fruits don’t lie. Pay attention to them.