Good Fruit

Fill in the blanks:

“The _____ doesn't fall far from the tree.”

“As sure as God made little green ______.”

“One bad _____ spoils the whole bunch.”

“_____ of my eye.”

“Comparing ______ to oranges.”

“An ______ a day, keeps the doctor away.”

“An _____ pie without some cheese is like a kiss without a squeeze.”

Apples, the iconic fruit of health, knowledge and wisdom, come with a little secret hidden inside. Poison! Cyanide to be exact.

I had to chuckle as I thought about writing this. Do you remember your parents telling you not to swallow watermelon seeds? Or apple seeds? Do you remember why? Or was I the only child that was told seeds would grow in their stomach. Tee hee!!

In every apple you will find seeds, and while they may seem harmless, apple seeds contain a compound that, when broken down, release cyanide. Now, apple seeds do not cause harm unless they are crushed or consumed in large quantities! But that got me to thinking.

Just as we are careful to remove the seeds before enjoying a crisp bite, or a blend in our smoothy, there is something symbolic about weeding out the "bad seeds" in our lives. A few seeds here and there might not be noticeable, but over time, they can accumulate into something toxic.

This applies to our thoughts, our habits, and even our relationships. These tiny kernels of potential danger serve as a reminder: not everything that seems small and insignificant can be ignored.

Whether in our food, our actions, or the company we keep, it is best to cut out the bad seeds early before they have a chance to spoil the whole bunch.

And yet…ironically, without those very seeds, there would be no more apples. Seeds, despite their potential to cause harm, also hold the power to create new life. 

I want to leave you with a passage from Romans.

Here is this idea that even when we face challenges (the “bad seeds” in our lives), those trials can lead to growth and hope through the work of Christ in us! It will lead to a new life!

“Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” Romans 5:3-5 ESV

Be blessed!

by Jeanette Stark – Monday, October 7, 2024