Yesterday I took the new owners of our Auckland house through on there pre settlement inspection…
It felt kind of weird to be honest.
I was happy to be nearly all sold up.
But I was sad to say goodbye to our home of 9 years.

As I showed them around and how things like the alarm and air system work, I found myself talking about the plum tree.

Of all the things I could miss about that home, the plum tree has to be way up there on my list.
I reckon that plum tree was the best plum tree I have ever had anything to do with!
It produces large red fleshed plums by the bag load.
You can’t get these plums in shops!
They are juicy and sweet…I will miss that tree!

I found myself talking about how to look after it.
When to prune, when to fertilise.
I knew that tree well, and how to get the best out of it.

Jesus also knows a lot about trees…
That is why he uses them as illustrations about our lives.
Jesus understands the similarities we have.

Have a read of what he says here…

44Each tree is recognized by its own fruit. People do not pick figs from thornbushes, or grapes from briers. 45The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks.
Luke 6:44-45 (New International Version)

Just like a tree, we need to make sure we prune ourselves and feed ourselves in the right way and at the right times and seasons. It makes sense to do just that so that good things come out of our lives.
People do recognize us by what we do and act more than any label we might try and take for ourselves.

Something to think about…