A good tree can’t produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can’t produce good fruit. A tree is identified by its fruit. Figs are never gathered from thornbushes, and grapes are not picked from bramble bushes. A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. What you say flows from what is in your heart. Luke 6:43-45
“To fulfill the high calling which God has placed upon us in creating us and redeeming us, we must have the right inner substance or character. We must come to grips with who we really are, inside and out. For we will do what we are. So we will need to become the kind of people who routinely and easily walk in the goodness and power of Jesus our Master. For this, a process of spiritual formation—really, transformation—is required.
Spiritual formation for the Christian is a Spirit-driven process of forming the inner world of the human self–our spiritual side—in such a way that it becomes like the inner being of Christ himself. In the degree to which such a spiritual transformation to inner Christlikeness is successful, the outer life of the individual will become a natural expression or outflow of the character and teachings of Jesus.”
Dallas Willard (1935-2013) in his previously unpublished remarks entitled “Living A Transformed Life Adequate To Our Calling” prepared for The Augustine Group, 2005. In researching Dallas Willard’s writings online yesterday, I fortuitously came upon this article. Today’s’ meditation is an excerpt from his opening comments.
What does our spiritual formation have to do with our generosity?
Dallas would reply: “We will do what we are.” Generosity is a fruit of God’s work in us (cf. Galatians 5:22-23). Without inward transformation, the outward fruit simply will not appear.
Want to grow in generosity this summer?
If Jesus were physically with us, He’d say, “Follow me.” We would become generous as He is generous. In His physical absence, I think He’d say, “Read and obey,” for we learn by hearing and doing. Something happens in us as followers of Christ when we hear and do. His Spirit remakes us. We are transformed from the inside out. From there, the proof is in the pudding, as the saying goes. We become generous as Christ is generous. Or in Willard’s words: “We will do what we are.” Make it so in each of our lives I pray today, Lord Jesus.
Speaking of doing what we are . . . I am going fly fishing today with my son, Sammy, because I “am” a fly fisherman. I pray we have safe travels to and from a beautiful mountain stream, that we catch (and release) many trout, and most of all, that we enjoy sweet fellowship together reflecting what Jesus, our Master, is teaching us these days.