Apples to Apples

Day Seven: Bearing Fruit as People of the Resurrection

 

For anyone who has tracked and weighed and set goals in Weight Watchers you know that FRUIT is ZERO points. Yup, all fruit is essentially FREE. Working the plan right means that you are naturally encouraged to eat more fruit and you suddenly enjoy fruit even more knowing that it is ZERO points. It doesn’t matter what kind either; your basic apple, a banana or even the more exotic starfruit; it’s all free!

Tonight Big D read from I Corinthians 15:20-23, where God's word talks about Christ’s resurrection as the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. The firstfruits were the most valuable fruits that were brought to the temple by devout Jews as an offering. There is nothing more valuable than the resurrection of Christ Jesus; nothing more important than his game-changing, life-changing rise from the dead. There is nothing more important than his resurrection because without this firstfruit, we would not have the hope for the gift of eternal life.  Oh and by the way, it was FREE! (P.S. I never really liked the word hope when talking about our faith and wish I could find another word. I know that the hope that I am referring to is a certain hope, but I also know that to most people that seems like a contradictory phrase.)

Pastor John Schultz (at St. John Lutheran Church in Plymouth, WI) touched on bearing fruit today in Bible Study. He talked about the fruits that we bear for others, not of our own merit but because of one who gives us the ability and the desire to do for others. (He drew a great picture to illustrate this!) We have talked about this as a family in the evenings as well. Last night we were trying to talk about doing everything to the Glory of God. The example that Colby came up with was “If someone wants you to get them a cupcake then you don’t have to.” We agreed, you don’t have to, but if you do ge them a cupcake then you should do it in a way that is positive and encouraging and God-pleasing. This would not include saying, "I have to do everything for you!" or "When am I gonna get a cupcake?" (How easily I turn from talk of fruit to talk of cupcakes).

I would love to tell you that the Tarjeson family bears the fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (GAL 5: 22) HA! The truth is that we fail at exuding these qualities daily. I don’t blog because we/I get it right, I blog because we stink at bearing this fruit and yet God LOVES us. HE LOVES ME. HE LOVES YOU.  If I can remember just once each day to nourish another person with the strength of the Spirit through these fruits than I will be bearing fruit of our resurrected Christ.