Are
you the real thing or just another counterfeit?
15 Watch out for
false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are
ferocious wolves.
16 By their fruit
you will recognize them.
17 Likewise every
good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.
18 A good tree
cannot bear bad fruit and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit.
19 Every tree that
does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into fire.
20 Thus, by their
fruit you will recognize them.
~Matthew
7: 15-20 (NIV)
22 But the fruit of
the Spirt is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness
23 gentleness and self-control
~Galatians
5:22-23 (NIV)
My dad would often tell me as young woman, “Never settle for a counterfeit. The devil
sends many counterfeits, but only God can send the real thing. So you wait on
the real thing.”
Throughout the years, I
have had my share of counterfeits. Many were easy to recognize at face value,
but others were deeply rooted within the lessons of betrayal, manipulation, and
jealously.
Within these lessons, I
have learned to lean on God through prayer and spiritual discernment in
recognizing that everyone who says they are for you may not necessarily have
your best interest at heart.
Nevertheless, I have
chosen to take these lessons not as defeat or retaliation, but as a chance to
show the love of God even more in encouraging people in each season of my life.
I have chosen to take
these lessons to learn, forgive, and press forward in the peace of my savior.
In this day and age,
there is an artificial brand for everything. There are various imitations of
popular food brands. There are knock offs of hand bags, jewelry, clothes, and
shoes. There are even great pretenders, wannabes, duplicators, and all sorts of
imitators.
Foot
Note:
Sometimes, it just pays to buy the original even if it cost a little more. Sometimes the cheaper things will end up
costing more in the long run. So stop being cheap and make the investment.
I decided a long time
ago that I wanted the thing marked with the original seal of authenticity on
the inside. I want the thing that just doesn’t look well from the outside, but
bears no strength on the inside. I want the thing marked by the seal of truth
and there is only person who holds that key and his name is Jesus Christ. I not
only want THAT thing, but I want to BE that thing.
My uncle once said, “If you can’t love Jesus, then you can’t love me.”
In all my years of selfishness,
I have finally come to understand what this truly means. The original is the
best. There may be other good things, but will you wait on the best? And I
promise you this one thing, you will know them by the fruit that they bear.
Questions to Ponder
·
Is the cost too much?
·
Is the season of waiting just too much?
·
Will you settle for rotten fruit or your
season of harvest?
·
Are the fruit too high up in the tree
that you would pick up those immature fruits on the ground?
·
Are you trying to steal fruit out of
other’s people’s baskets?
He is my real thing and the protector of my heart. I
gave him the key so you can’t get it from me.
So my final question to you is…Are you just another
counterfeit or is this real thing?
