I have never had a fruit tree in my yard. I have never cared for a garden or grown anything really significant. So, all this is new for me. My life here includes apples. My "new normal" (as my teammate calls it) includes many apples.
Our apple tree produces wonderful cooking apples. You must add a good amount of sugar... but an apple pie, apple bread and applesauce are only a "chop" and bake away with the apples from our tree. I hadn't picked the apples for a while now. This morning while washing dishes and looking out the window I quickly realized that it was time. Plump apples dotted the tree's limbs. So between loads of laundry I made my way out to pick and decided today it would be applesauce (the easiest by far!).
As I approached the tree it was obvious that many apples had fallen from the tree these past weeks ("windfall" apples they call it here). These once fat, juicy green apples had begun to rot on the ground. Disgusting. Black and brown. Covered in a variety of bugs. Many were rotting at the foot of my tree. So, in my very city-girl-way, I found myself a plastic bag to cover my hand and picked up the rotting apples.
Fruit unused. Fruit unpicked, rotting and unusable. Stinky fruit, really. I wonder... Is this what it is as a Christian to be blessed and not use the blessing for others? Is this being given much and not giving back. Is this what it is to have the fruit of the Spirit... to have been given fullness of joy, love, peace, patience and kindness and yet let it fall to the ground by the wind and rot from neglect. We have been given so much. My wealth and time are just a small part of all God has given me--- our fruit. I have, in Christ, love in abundance and fullness of joy. It can grow and be used for good. I have been given such blessing and I must allow the fruit of God in me to be used for good, tasty, right smelling things!
Do I, instead, let Christ's gifts fall off and rot? Unused. I wonder if we neglect giving out, using our gifts, practicing His love, His patience and grace toward others are we like these windfall apples? Once beautiful, ready for picking, and now rotten on the ground.
I want to watch my tree more often. I want to look for the fruit and pick them when they are ready, ripe and plump. I want to use the blessings of this tree to bless others. I have much to learn about caring for this garden of mine.
Lord, may I be used by You today. Use my gifts, Your Spirit in me, all You have blessed me with to be a blessing to others. For your Glory!