Jesus explains in the bible in Matthew that a tree is known by its fruit.  Whereas a diseased tree will bear bad fruit, a malnourished or immature tree will not bear any fruit at all.  This can also apply to our daily lives.  Our thoughts bear fruit whether we realize it or not.  If you have good thoughts, your outlook on life will be good.  Just as if you think bad thoughts, your outlook on life will soon follow in a negative fashion.

If you look closely at people around you, you will know what thought process is driving their life.  If they have a terrible attitude, you know they can’t have pleasant thoughts rolling around in their head.  If you see a person that is sweet, kind, and caring, you know the thoughts they are having must be really good ones because it shows in their actions towards others.

People are watching you whether you take notice or not.  They are noticing everything that you are doing and what example you are setting for those around you.  If you say one thing but live in a different fashion, they will notice immediately.

Something that has struck me is conversations people have about Christians. I’ve heard it said that people will not want what we have (God) if we are constantly walking around with a sad look on our faces.  Likewise, who will want to live like us if they hear nothing but negative things coming out of our mouths?  If we are Christians, WHY the bad attitude?  I realize that things won’t always be joyful and happy in your life.  Things happen, and we are just forced to deal with them the best way we know how at times.  God is right there with us through it all, though, and our strength comes from Him.  We are to praise Him in all things.  That is so hard to do when you’re walking through a valley in your life, but your attitude and mindset can shift if you just lift up your voice in praise to God.  What you’re going through is temporary.  It will soon pass.  Maybe not as fast as you’d like it, but it will.  Try shifting your focus to Him through it all.

Stop for just a moment and think on this question:  What type of fruit are you bearing?

Take an honest look in the mirror and answer truthfully.  Do more negatives tend to come out of your mouth than positives?  Do you mullygrub (as I heard a country pastor describe it once before) about all the things that are wrong in your life?  Are you honestly bearing bad fruit at this point in your life?  You know you can make a change.  Decide today that you no longer want to live defeated, depressed, and in a negative mindset.  Begin finding something positive in the situation that you’d normally complain about and watch how things improve in your life.  Even if it’s just your outlook that changes, it has to have an impact on those around you, too.  They will begin seeing different fruits coming from your tree of life.  Then they will want what you have, and ultimately that is our goal:  to draw people toward CHRIST!

Think about it!