Rotten to the Core

Luke 6:43  "No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit."

This weekend Julie Garick heard a loud crash and looked out back to see one of their largest oak trees laying on the ground.  On a clear windless day, the tree broke about 20 feet above the ground and crashed into the ground literally crushing a cedar tree on the way down.  And that was it; seemingly one of the healthiest trees in their yard was turned into trash via chain saw and chipper.  Out of all trees, this tree broke.  Not the hickory with the cracked trunk.  Not the oak next to it with the odd disease lumps.  This apparently healthy tree failed in a massive explosive sound and perished.  The problem was a rotten core.  The tree functioned, made an expansive canopy of leaves, a massive crop of acorns, and most importantly provided deep shade to much of their backyard and ours as well.  Unbeknownst to us, it simply couldn't support the fruit of its own labor because of its own rotten core. 
We are no different.  Many of us are apparently successful in the worlds eyes.  We're healthy, attractive (well maybe many of you are), successful in our worldly endeavors, yet are overwhelmed with issues on the inside.  Sometimes our sin nature is obvious.  Obesity, for instance, is an obvious sin that all can view.  Other sins can also be obvious such as drunkenness, adultery, etc.  Many times, however, the true expanse of our sin nature isn't visible and what might be we work hard to hide.  Often our sin is simply not following God.  We simply don't want to do His will so we choose a different path.  Regardless of the sin, whether known or in secret, scripture warns us that a bad tree bears bad fruit. 
In this passage I believe Jesus is saying that regardless of appearance, eventually our sin catches up with us.  Fruit for a Christian, as the name clearly states, is to live a life that resembles that of Christ, one dedicated to loving God and others which ultimately produces other Christians.  So the tragedy is the antithesis:  "Christians" who bear no fruit are simply not influencing others around them to become Christians.  I pray that I don't get to heaven and find out that my coworkers, or worse members of my family, aren't in heaven because of rottenness in my own core.