Re-Harvesting Thoughts on Seedless Fruit

     I had posted this blog entry a while back, but it has been revised and edited. I hope that it is easier to understand as I have been better able to articulate that which I had desired to express. Since first writing this entry, some Scriptures have since come to mind, and I would like to share those as well.
     The first edition of this blog entry was entitled "Nature and Seedless Fruit". I submit to you that the "seedless fruit" reminds me of what Paul writes in I Corinthians 13:-3`..."Though I speak with tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing."
     Re-read this with the above Scripture in mind...

Re-Harvesting Thoughts on Seedless Fruit 

     As I cut open an apple, I noticed that there were no seeds…just a core that had been destroyed by the larvae of a worm that had at one time laid eggs in the apple blossom. From the blossom, an apple developed, and as it did, the egg matured, hatched, and the larvae began to eat. The worm was not so interested in the apple, but it devoured the core and the seeds.

     I believe that there are spiritual lessons to be learned in different aspects of nature, and if we really think about it, there is a lesson to be learned in this.

 Seedless Fruit…

     As Christians, we have the desire to do the will of God, but we will also cling to natural human tendencies and demonstrate self-willed choices. Hopefully, we will bear fruit in evidence of our walk with Christ. However, sometimes choosing to “do good deeds” of kindness is by our own laborious efforts to impress the world with Christianity or prideful displays of our own capabilities.

 As Christians, the eyes of the world are on us, and sometimes our self-willed deeds wind up being unproductive, like the apple with no seeds. On the outside, we may see our labor as fruitful, but the impact of a self-willed choice is not lasting, because at the center of the fruit of our labor is a rotten core. The reward of our labor has been devoured by pride. No fruit will follow because we were not doing the will of God, but fulfilling our own agendas. Seeds that could have been sown are destroyed by the sin of our prideful tendencies, or “the worm”. Kingdom growth cannot come because there is no seed.

I have learned that God does not call us to do everything. I am guilty of trying to do everything that I think that I am “supposed to do”. As I get older, I realize that sometimes God just wants us to rest in Him and to listen for His direction so that our lives can be more productive. So many things that I think MUST be done are like seedless fruit. Therefore, the fruit of my labor may be fleeting and only enjoyed for the moment. As Solomon put it, it is vanity…  “vanity of vanities; all is vanity. What profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh under the sun?” Ecclesiastes 1:2-3.

There are things in life that will never be remembered. Tombstones never say, “She kept an immaculate house!” or “She cooked an amazing chicken casserole.” What is usually remembered about someone are attributes of the Christian walk that impacted lives for God’s kingdom purpose. We are to be about His business, which includes preparing the ground, planting seeds, watering with the Word and harvesting.

It is all about God and not about us…What’s in your fruit?

allow the Holy Spirit to minister to you...