What’s in Your Cup

If we should be asked the question “what is in your cup?” our minds would automatically gravitate to contents that usually occupy a cup, such as, water, coffee, alcohol, etc. However, the question is being posed for us to take a deeper introspection of our lives.

A story was told of a man carrying a cup of coffee. As he walked someone, accidentally collided with him and the coffee was spilled making a colossal mess. When asked why he spilled his coffee his initial reaction was to blame the person who bumped into him saying that it was his fault that his coffee was spilled. However, truth be told if he carefully analyzed the question he would realize that the coffee was spilled because coffee was in his cup. Whatever the contents of his cup was that is what would have spilled with any collision. It went on to explain that the collision that took place is just like life and whenever “life happens” then we will be shaken. The important thing, however, is not to focus on the shake but to pay keen attention to what spills out because only the contents of the cup can be spilled from the impact of a collision.

Starting today and continuing daily, I want us to not think of literal cups but to think of ourselves as cups and ask ourselves the question what is in my cup.  Whenever we experience a collision what intrinsically spills out of us? Under extreme pressure does the characteristics of the fruit of the spirit spills out of us naturally or does the manifestation of the works of the flesh become more intrinsic? Does our fundamental reaction consist of harsh (curse) words, anger, bitterness, hatred, malice, envy, unforgiveness, etc.?

In Matthew 23 Jesus made reference to the Scribes and Pharisees as only paying attention to the outside of the cup, ensuring that the outside is clean and presentable, while the inside of the cup is filthy. Have we become a people who are more concerned with our outward appearance and ignoring the contents that are within us and flows out of us without a second thought? When we are overwhelmed by the vicissitudes of life wouldn’t it be more satisfying and pleasing if love, gratefulness, joy, meekness, temperance, humility, and peace spilled out of us?

We all have choices and life is filled with them with every scenario that we are faced with. What will you choose? What fruits will you decide to bear? What contents will you allow to spill out of you when encountering the impact of a collision?

In my Captain Planet voice “THE CHOICE IS YOURS!!!”

May your year be filled with prosperity and good success, and you choose to display Godlike characteristics daily.

01/01/2018 Dr. R.A.