Laurie Hopkins

What is inside will come out. 

A tree cannot claim to be a good tree if it is bearing poor fruit.  

In the same way, we cannot claim to be one thing while the fruit of our mouth and our deeds clearly shows something else. 

We cannot harbour unforgiveness and offense in our hearts and hope that what shows on the outside is beautiful, shiny fruit. 

We may be able to maintain that for a while but eventually the facade will slip and what is inside will show on the outside. 

How do you nurture abundance on the inside, so that abundance comes out? 

Love freely; 

be kind and generous; 

forgive quickly and deal with offense upfront; 

do not harbour in your heart those things that cause hurt and negativity, bring them to the Cross and move forward; 

get into the Word and into prayer; 

fill up your heart with those things that are good and lovely. 

Above all things, be honest with yourself and with Jesus.  

Bring those things that you are harbouring to Him and work them out quickly. 

Don’t give them a foothold in your life.  

Make a determination to clean house inside and you will be guaranteed genuine curb appeal on the outside.   

What things are you doing to ensure abundance on the inside?

Many of us call Jesus Teacher. 

However, we often do it in a casual and offhanded manner without thinking about what it really entails.  

Jesus was very clear on what it entailed.  

“But everyone who is perfectly trained will be like his teacher.” 

This begs two questions:

1) do we know our Teacher, 

2) do we really aim to be like that Teacher.  

In order to know our Teacher, we need to be in the Word and in prayer.  

In order to move towards perfection in training, we need to have a genuine desire to be like Him. 

Do you call Him Teacher today; 

if so, today is the day to think about what that means in your life.

Do you call Him Teacher?  Are you calling Him Teacher in that offhanded manner or have you really considered what it means to be like Jesus?

It is easy to be kind to those who are kind to you. 

It is easy to be generous to those who are generous in return.  

But that is not what we are called to.  We are called to love those who don’t love us; to be kind and generous to those who are not kind and generous to us.  

How often do we extend a loving hand to someone only to have it pushed back at us?  

How often, then, do we follow that up with another loving hand extended to that same person? 

How often are we generous to someone who appears unthankful?  

How often, then, do we follow that up with further generosity to that same person?  

We are a society who often gives first chances and sometimes even second chances to allow people to respond to us in a positive way, but after that, we often withdraw and withhold.  

Jesus calls us to love our enemies.  Jesus calls us to be generous to others without expectation. 

We are called to love.  

Real love is extended indiscriminately and without thought of what we will receive in turn.  

We love others because they are made in the image of God.  

We love others because of their inherent worth as created beings.  

And because we love others, we respond to them with kindness and generosity.  

Reach out and really love someone today!

What has your experience been with being kind/generous to those who may not or cannot reciprocate?