I remember when I was a kid my daddy would buy us a whole watermelon on a hot day. He did this often. He and I loved the ones that were yellow inside. You couldn’t always find those, but when you did, you couldn’t wait to get it home. He would cut our watermelon out on the driveway and our family would sit out there and eat it. He had the garden hose ready to wash away the seeds, the stickiness and the juice that was all over us. Good memories! Watermelon is so refreshing in the summer. In the cooler months of the year, I like berries on a nice salad with toasted pecans. Peaches are amazing when they’re ripe, but if they’re not, count me out. Fruit is delicious and God gave us fruit to enjoy. People are a lot like fruit. Some soft, others not ripe yet, but all with distinct characteristics. 

Like fruit, everyone in the body of Christ has their own “flavor”. God has given us all our own texture, aroma and certain seasons in which we thrive. “The land produced vegetation—all sorts of seed-bearing plants, and trees with seed-bearing fruit. Their seeds produced plants and trees of the same kind. And God saw that it was good.” (‭‭Genesis‬ ‭1‬:‭12‬ ‭NLT‬‬) Notice that the passage says “all sorts”? We’re not all the same. A blueberry doesn’t taste like a banana and a strawberry doesn’t have the same texture as an apple. But also notice that the passage says, “God saw that it was good.”

Variety is what we’re talking about here. We, like fruit, are different in all sorts of ways. Our talents and giftings are different but we’re all part of the family of God. We all have different spheres of influence that we reach. We’re like one big fruit basket. We, as The Church, should be appealing enough that others want to join. We represent The King of the Universe. 

“Taste and see that the Lord is good.” (‭‭Psalms‬ ‭34‬:‭8‬ ‭NLT)‬‬ If we’re using our gifts and talents that He’s given us unselfishly, people will notice. This will make them want to “taste” God’s ways for themselves. They know when you’re really concerned about them and when you’re just trying to say the right thing. “A good tree can’t produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can’t produce good fruit. A tree is identified by its fruit.” (‭‭Luke‬ ‭6‬:‭43‬-‭44‬ ‭NLT‬‬) God wants His people to be the real deal. He wants us to offer refreshment to a dry and thirsty land. Good fruit offers such refreshment in the natural. Christ’s Church should be doing the same in the spiritual. Is the fruit that’s being produced in your life satisfying and desirable to others or could you use some help from The Master Gardener?

Before fruit makes its way to the store shelves, it has to be inspected. The only way to “test” the quality of our own fruit is to look in the mirror of God’s Word. “But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!” (‭‭Galatians‬ ‭5‬:‭22‬-‭23‬ ‭NLT‬‬) Are you allowing The Holy Spirit to grow you up in these areas or are you “just fine” the way you are? I believe if we’re honest, there’s something on God’s quality control list that we could all use some improvement on. When I look over these qualities the Spirit produces in our lives, I’m definitely needing improvement. It’s like there’s a tug of war going on inside of me between my flesh and my spirit. But God is rich in mercy. He’s patient with us as we’re growing and maturing. 

The world is looking for something that is authentic. People are hurting and in desperate need for the refreshment that only the hope of Jesus can bring into their lives. Just as a hungry person would reach for that desirable piece of fruit knowing it would satisfy them, be the refreshing representation that points people to Jesus. “When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father.” (‭‭John‬ ‭15‬:‭8‬ ‭NLT‬‬) Be a part of The Lord’s beautiful fruit basket that He wants to send to a hungry world.

Today’s writer is Brandi Crowe. A hairdresser for over 25 years, she is currently the owner of Brandi Crowe salon in Buford, GA. She loves hiking, a good cup of coffee, and spending time with family and friends. Brandi lives in a custom farmhouse with her husband Robby and cat Harold.