Eating My Fruit

I like fruit. Especially fresh fruit. Strawberries, bananas, apples, pineapple, peaches, grapes, and on and on. I'm not sure I've met a fruit I didn't like (but I'm sure it is out there).

I've been reading through the Old Testament for the past few months and am currently in the book of Proverbs. This morning I came across verse 14 of chapter 14. Because I like fruit, this proverb stood out today. I really liked the truth behind it, so I thought I would share it here:

The backslider in heart will be filled with the fruit of his ways,
and a good man will be filled with the fruit of his ways. (ESV)

My parents have a silly Winnie-the-Pooh book that my 3-year-old son likes to read when we are there. Rabbit gives Pooh a pumpkin seed. Pooh plants the seed and then cares for it constantly from Spring until fall. At first Pooh is congratulated by Piglet for growing a vine. Then Owl congratulates him for growing a flower (which he says will become a cucumber). At this point, Pooh has to tap is head and say "think, think, think". He finally reasons that if you plant a pumpkin seed, you should get a pumpkin, not just a vine, or a flower, or even a cucumber.

Are you angry in life and don't know why? Perhaps you are "backslidden in heart" and have not been making Jesus your first love each day. Perhaps you've planted seeds of unforgiveness - should you expect the fruit of joy?

Are you depressed? It could be a chemical thing with your body and mind (if so, seek medical help), but it could also be from planting seeds of despair or seeds of poor choices.

Are you directionless in life and your fruit is the unknown? Perhaps you've been "backslidden in heart" and planting lazy seeds with your faith.

I know one of my regular prayers is that I would be consumed with love, joy, peace, patience, and the rest of the fruit of the Spirit. According to Prov. 14:14, I need to be a good man. But Jesus told us that only God is good. So for me to be good, I must be like God. That only comes through the work of God, who through the cross made me a new creation, transforming me to be more like Christ. My prayer is that he would continue that process of perfecting my faith so that I can see more of his fruit in my life.

So what seeds are you planting today? Who are you going to follow? To follow yourself is to be a "backslider in heart". To follow Christ is to be on the path toward good fruit.

Personal P.S.
Speaking of fruit, congratulations to my oldest daughter, K, who was in the Top 8 of all 4th graders at her school's Invention Convention with the Strawberry Popper Topper. Today (on her half-birthday!), she gets to take her invention to District and compete against the other 4th grade winners from all the other elementary schools in the Linn-Mar district.