Fruit Inspection

When I was a teenager I picked peaches one summer. Picking peaches in July/August in Southeast Missouri will give you a new appreciation for air-conditioning. I worked alongside several of my friends from school and church so it was fun. We all were friends with Don, the son of the farmer who owned the peach orchard.

Peach trees are not very tall so climbing the trees to reach the peaches was not a challenge. We were each given a bag to strap on that we would drop the peaches into. When it was full we would swing the bag over the edge of a trailer, unhook the fold up flap on the bottom of the bag and pour out our peaches.

Picking peaches is hot and sweaty work and you spend the whole day looking up while reaching for the fruit. At some point in the afternoon on my first day I made the mistake of rubbing my face. Back then I don’t remember ever using sun block so I was sunburned and the peach fuzz mixed with sweat clung to my face making it itch. It was uncomfortable to say the least. But those peaches were the juiciest and sweetest I ever tasted. The smell of fresh peaches will start my mouth to watering.

This is the time of year when fresh fruit of all kinds is plentiful in the grocery store and road side stands. Peaches, nectarines, cantaloupe, watermelon are just a few of the choices as summer is drawing to a close, but there is other fruit available to us as believers.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” Galatians 5:22-23

This fruit is evidence of the Holy Spirit living and working in our lives. If we are living our lives so that others see this fruit growing in us then people are going to know that we are followers of Christ.

News reports of aid workers killed in Afghanistan last week because they were Christians is a strong testimony of how effective the evidence of the fruit of the Holy Spirit in our lives can be. By all accounts none of them were proselytizing but they were offering medical assistance to the poor of that nation. Just by the way they lived their lives they had an impact on people who have never entered a church building.

I wonder if there is enough of that fruit growing in my life to convict me of trying to convert others to a belief in Christ. I pray that others will see evidence of the fruit of God’s Spirit in my life even if I speak no words.

“Preach the Gospel at all times; if necessary, use words.”

I’m not saying that we should not share with others the hope we have in Christ, indeed we are told that we are to do exactly that. It is by the power of the Word of God that lives are changed. But does the life we live before others reflect the fruit of the Spirit so clearly that others see Christ in us?

Pray for the families of those killed for their faith.

Walking in love,

Counting my blessings on Multitude Monday: giving thanks for this and so much more...

91.  That God's Word is powerful.
92.  That God's Word is trustworthy.
93.  That God's Word is alive.
94.  That God's Word is sufficient.
95.  That God's Word is comforting.
96.  That God's Word is eternal.
97.  That God's Word is life changing.
98.  That God's Word is convicting.
99.  That God's Word is healing.
100. That God's Word is enough.