by Terry Sheldon
I am fascinated by fruits.
But it wasn't always so. I have to admit I may have taken them for granted, because in this land of plenty, fruits are always close at hand. The party-bro to the more pedestrian vegetable, fruits are easy to like with their bright, appealing colors, inherent sweetness, and grab-and-go ease.
I also appreciate Apostle Paul's fruit of the spirit metaphor, and the greatest of these - love. These character fruits are the highest bar of personal and spiritual wholeness - the gold standard of what we should partake in and become. The comparison is rich with allure - life-giving nourishment, sweetness and goodness to share.
But then there's the science.
God is certainly an innovative creator, and to me seems a kind of restless genius - always tinkering. Over a millennia, as plants evolved to fit expanding people groups, fruits played an essential role - in so many ways and in so many places. And inspired by our creative heritage, we all have influenced plant propagation as well.
With fruit, it's all about sugar and seeds. And birds.
Among all edible greenery, vegetables and fruits certainly contain essential nutrients. But a fruit’s specialty is sugar, attracting hungry attention. Their larger and more accessible seeds become reproductive tools, and animals and humans alike multiply and distribute the plants - by land and sea, and by air on the wings of birds.
Hang on, there is a point to this.
Galations 5:22 now seems to me much richer and more dynamic, like an apple that becomes a vast orchard of spiritual possibilities. The fruits of the spirit are within everyone's reach, and are spread by courageous people who practice them, and by the subtle but efficient flight of the Holy Spirit.
The humble apple is our world's most common fruit, and irony aside, perhaps not just a random choice as the symbol of mankind's fall from grace. In that light, Paul's fruit comparison seems to be pure genius, from a literary standpoint and also a spiritual one. Just like Jesus' parables, God's most essential truths are always ripe with meaning and easy to grasp when served up with simple symbolism and story.
Which brings me back to love - the best commandment.
When I read Galations 5:22 with its wonderful array of fruitful attributes, I can't help but notice that ALL of them point back to love. We can't be joyful without love. We can't enjoy true peace, and we can't have the patience to trust in God's heavenly outcomes without love - in Him, in ourselves and in those around us. To truly love and allow ourselves to be loved is the highest attainable personal and spiritual goal. It is the prize fruit on God's tree of life.
And it's best when shared.
