Fruit Inspector - Martin Wiles

You can identify them by their fruit, that is, by the way they act. Matthew 7:16 NLT

What looks good outwardly can occasionally disappoint.

I’m not a fruit inspector—at least not by profession. But I do inspect fruit before purchasing it. When selecting apples and oranges, I look for bruises or soft spots. If I’m buying a bag of Irish potatoes, I make sure there are no rotten spots. Bananas can’t be bruised or overripe. Some fruit, however, can trick me.

I recall buying one bag of black grapes. They had all the appearances of being ripe and sweet, but when I plopped the first one in my mouth, I was met with an unpleasant taste. Sourness. And, unfortunately, the entire bunch was identical. Since grapes don’t ripen once removed from the vine, I threw them away. I’ve purchased a few watermelons and cantaloupes that also fooled me. Unlike grapes, however, they continue to ripen, so if I’m patient, I’ll eventually experience a good taste.

Jesus instructs us to be fruit inspectors, whether we get paid for it or not. Just as some fruit appears to be ripe but isn’t, some people seem to be Jesus’ disciples but are actually false teachers—wolves in sheep’s clothing.

Jesus’ admonition reminds us that we can deceive others. Through our actions, emotions, words, and attitudes, we portray our identity, but we can also disguise our identity by those same means. When we curtail them to fit a particular situation or display certain ones when around specific people, we define ourselves as someone particular—genuine or hypocritical.

God knows our hearts. We do, too. We may succeed in fooling others about our true identity, but in our hearts, we know whether we’re being true to our inner selves. So does God. That’s why he pricks our conscience when the two don’t match up. He doesn’t want us leading others astray, nor does he want us fooling ourselves. We must inspect others’ fruit, but also ours.

Cultivating our vines through spiritual disciplines so we’ll bear more fruit that’s ripe, sweet, and delicious is vital. When others inspect us, we should want them to find abundant good fruit, but we don’t want them to discover hypocrisy.

Make sure the spiritual fruit you’re producing is sweet to others’ taste.

Father, may the fruit I produce show others that I am your child. 

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Banana Pudding

 

Ingredients

6 Bananas

1 large box Vanilla Instant Pudding

1 can of Sweetened Condensed Milk

1 large tub of Cool Whip

3 cups of whole milk

8 ounces of Sour Cream

1 box of Vanilla Wafers 

Directions

Mix pudding and whole milk.

Add Sweetened Condensed Milk and fold in Cool Whip and sour cream.

In a bowl, layer bananas and vanilla wafers.

Pour pudding on top. 

Refrigerate. 

Tweetable: Why not try this cool delight on a hot summer day? 

We believe good food and God's Word go well together. After you've enjoyed this dessert--or even as you enjoy it--why not hop over to our main page and enjoy one of our encouraging devotions.

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No Planting, No Fruit - Martin Wiles

I planted the seed in your hearts, and Apollos watered it, but it was God who made it grow. 1 Corinthians3:6 NLT

We planted the sapling, but never knew whether we’d see a tree.

During a special festival in the town where my wife and I lived at the time, a local resident gave us a maple sapling. We picked out a spot in the backyard, dug a hole, inserted the sapling, packed it, staked and tied it with sticks, and watered it well. The first year, the little tree looked pitiful. In fact, we wondered whether we’d see life the next spring. We did. The second year wasn’t much better. The sapling grew a smidgen, but again we wondered whether we’d see leaves the next year. Again, we did.

Then we moved three hours away. We often wondered what happened to our tree. We rented the home we have moved from, and other renters had moved in. We wondered whether they’d care for the yard—and our tree—as we had.

Several years later, we moved back to a neighboring town and one day rode by the house we once lived in. There was our tree, healthy and tall. Someone had watered and tended to it. A strong healthy tree had replaced the tender sapling we planted.

Paul says the same happens in the spiritual realm. He planted new churches on several missionary journeys. Others came behind him and watered his work. God then gave the growth.

We plant, negatively or positively. We either plant good seeds in peoples’ lives or bad seeds. Good seeds such as acts of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, faithfulness, and goodness. Or bad seeds such as hate, anger, unforgiveness, strife, and gossip.

Others water what we plant. In fact, we might be the waterer. At any given moment, we may never know whether we are planting or watering, but both are equally important.

The important part is that we plant and that we do it intentionally. We can sow good seeds in others’ lives on purpose. If we don’t, we may automatically—or unintentionally—sow corrupt seeds.

When we plant good seeds, God causes growth. A person may come to know Him as Savior. If they already do, our watering may help them grow spiritually—or even pursue God’s call on their lives. We never know what type of tree will grow from the saplings we plant or water.

Find some way you can plant or water a seed in someone’s life today.

Tweetable: What are you planting?

Prayer: Father, give us opportunities to plant and water seeds in people’s lives. 

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Flashback Friday - Fruit the Hard Way - Martin Wiles

Fruit the Hard Way

Some think it’s easy, but I didn’t. I’d watched my grandfather do it for too many years.

Growing a garden is relaxing but also taxing. Breaking up a piece of unplowed ground with a tiller emits sweat, filthiness, and if I’m not cautious a few words better left unsaid. Rows must be drawn off, fertilizer added, and seed planted. Plants must be weeded and watered and sometimes sprayed with poison. Then the fruit must be harvested and canned or placed in the freezer. All time-consuming endeavors. While fresh fruit is delicious, it’s the product of demanding work. Read more...

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Thanks to all our faithful followers who are "sharing" our posts--please keep it up! We also invite you to follow and like us on Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter. Help us spread God's encouragement through his love lines.

Fruit Inspector - Martin Wiles

You can identify them by their fruit, that is, by the way they act. Matthew 7:16 NLT

What looks good outwardly can occasionally be disappointing. 

I’m not a fruit inspector—at least not by profession. But I do inspect fruit before I purchase it. When selecting apples and oranges, I look for bruises or soft spots. If I’m buying a bag of Irish potatoes, I make sure there are no rotten spots. Bananas can’t be bruised or overripe. 

Some fruit, however, has the ability to trick me. I recall one bag of black grapes I bought. They had all the appearances of being ripe and sweet, but when I popped the first one in my mouth, it was sour. So was the entire bunch. Since grapes don’t ripen once removed from the vine, I had to throw them away. I’ve purchased a few watermelons and cantaloupes that fooled me also. Unlike grapes, however, they will continue to ripen, so if I’m patient I’ll eventually experience a good taste. 

Jesus instructed me to be a fruit inspector, whether I get paid for it or not. 

Just as some fruits appear to be ripe but aren’t, some people will appear to be Jesus’ disciples but will actually be false teachers—wolves in sheep’s clothing. 

Jesus’ admonition reminds me I have the capability to deceive others. 

Through my actions, emotions, words, and attitudes, I have the power to portray my identity, but I can also disguise my identity by those same means. When I curtail them to fit a certain situation or display certain ones when around specific people, I define myself as someone particular—genuine or hypocritical. 

God has the ability to know my heart. 

I do too. I may succeed in fooling others about my true identity, but in my heart I know whether I’m being true to my inner self. So does God. That’s why He pricks my conscience when the two don’t match up. He doesn’t want me leading others astray; nor does He want me fooling myself. Not only must I inspect others’ fruit, but I also must inspect mine. 

Cultivating my vine through spiritual disciplines so I’ll bear more fruit—that’s ripe, sweet, and delicious, is vital. 

When others inspect me, I want them to find abundant good fruit, but I don’t want them to discover hypocrisy. 

Make sure the spiritual fruit you’re producing is sweet to others’ taste.

Prayer: Father, may the fruit we produce show others we are Your children.

Looking for a wide selection of genres in Christian books at discount prices? Use coupon MWiles for 20% off. Click here to see selections.

Thanks to all our faithful followers who are "sharing" our posts--please keep it up! We also invite you to follow and like us on Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter. Help us spread God's encouragement through his love lines.