Issue 1524 – The Fruit Stand – August 14, 2024
I bit into the crisp apple, and long-forgotten memories flooded my mind.
I wasn’t very old when we stopped at a roadside fruit stand. The stand smelled of wood shavings from the floor and sweet, ripe fruit. When we walked up, a riot of colors greeted us.
The vendor was an older man dressed in faded coveralls and a cap. In my mind, it’s a John Deere cap, but I don’t know if that part is a real memory. To me, he seemed at least as old as God. He had bushel baskets full of fruit and vegetables for sale.
I remember apples, cherries, and watermelons. There were vegetables of every kind, including many I did not recognize. To my little eyes, the baskets looked huge. I don’t think I had ever seen that much fruit and vegetables in one place before.
He had bottles of jams and syrups on his shelf. Flags and multicolored pinwheels were blowing in the breeze. I remember I was an old pickup truck as part of the display.
I’m sure we bought something, but I do not remember what. I remember the old man, the smell of the stand, and the size of the bushel baskets most clearly.
Remembering the bushel baskets brought to mind an old story I once heard. I don’t know if it’s true (probably not) or even where I heard it, but there’s a lot of truth in it.
A Christian farmer and his hired hand had been picking fruit all day. They took a break and sat down by a creek that ran through the orchard, where they talked about their faith.
“I don’t need to read my Bible,” said the hired hand. “I’ve heard enough of it to know how it goes, and that’s good enough. Besides, it gets boring to read the same stories over and over again.”
The old man smiled and tossed him a dirty bushel basket. “Fill this up from the creek.”
Thinking it was a strange request, the young man did as he was told. Every time he filled the basket and lifted it out of the creek, it drained. After a few tries, he gave up.
“So, what’s different about the basket?” asked the farmer, “other than being wet.”
“Well, it’s cleaner, I guess.”
“Just like reading your Bible every day,” said the farmer, “you may not notice it at the time or even think you are learning anything new, but with the Spirit’s help, the more time you spend with God’s Word, the cleaner you become, and the closer you get to Him.”
When was the last time you took some time and spent it savoring God’s Word? When did you last let the Holy Spirit speak to you through the Word?
How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!
Through your precepts I get understanding; therefore I hate every false way. Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. Psalm 119:103-105
Until next time, may you enjoy time with the Word.
Be blessed
Hallelu Yah / Praise God
Kevin
Gleanings From The Word
Experience an extraordinary God in ordinary life.
Soli Deo Gloria (For the glory of God alone)
Never let the enemy tell you that you are worthless or insignificant. Your value in God’s eyes is so great that it was worth dying for. You are a blessing to the world. You are so precious to God that his plan for heaven will not be complete without you.
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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture references are from the English Standard Version (ESV)