Daniel and I went apple picking recently. As we examined the fruit, I was reminded of Galations. Lately our pastor has been speaking a lot about fruit. I don’t mean the fruit we eat but rather the fruit we bear. Each good fruit we saw was evidence of its connection to the vine. When the fruit fell off the vine, it began to rot.

Just like the fruit we saw before us, we as believers begin to spiritually rot if we don’t stay connected to the heart and mind of God. We begin to rot when we choose our own comfort over love, allowing ourselves to be overtaken by fear, pride, and selfishness. How do we stay connected to the vine and in turn connect to others? We forget we are even apples at all. That is, we forget the “self” long enough to see the needs of others.

I have this friend, but we had never been as close as I hoped we would be. Me and this friend are opposites in a lot of ways; comparing the two of us would almost be like comparing apples to oranges. We look different; we act different; we are in very different walks of life. Even a lot of our interests are different. My friend and I discovered recently we both have in common the one thing that truly matters, Christ.

I think sometimes the enemy uses the differences of God’s people to keep them from connecting. What God has revealed, however, is that our differences are actually our strength, designed by Him to unite us as a body, giving color and shape to His kingdom. We are deceived into believing someone has to look the way we do in order to be seen, known, or truly loved by them. The truth is, in order to truly connect with a person, all we really need is to have the heart of Christ and to see them the way He does.

Everything I ever knew about my friend were her works, but it wasn’t until recently I actually saw her fruit when the two of us discussed a conflict for the first time. I saw sides of her I had never seen—compassion, humility, a desire to grow and please God. For the first time, I saw Christ in her. I knew this was someone I could truly connect to when she began to demonstrate this fruit my pastor spoke of.

The primary evidence of having fruit of the Spirit is a visible, ongoing change in your daily actions, words, and inner thoughts. I used to have this idea that fruit equated to works. Do we really have the Holy Spirit though if there’s no growth, no conviction? Nowhere in Scripture does it say we will know them by their works, accomplishments, or even their gifts. God said we would know them by their fruit (Matthew 7:16), and He listed what those fruits were—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, faithfulness, gentleness, goodness, self control. (Galations 5:22-23) The growth of these fruits in our lives are the very presence of the Holy Spirit’s work within us and the essence of what we need to connect with others.

The more our pastor spoke of these fruits, the more I began to ask myself, do I truly have the Holy Spirit? Do I really lean into God more than I lean into my own comfort? Is there evidence of change and progress in me? Do I love others the way Jesus did?

I looked at all the apples around me that had fallen on the ground. They taught me something that day—fruit that isn’t picked will eventually fall to the ground and rot.

If God can’t use us, we too will wither away, never able to fulfill His purposes for our lives. How do we become fit for God to use us? We grow; we mature; we ripen. Then we forget the “self” and focus on feeding the needs of others.

“The Gift of Apples” was passed back and forth between my husband and I until it was complete. This 8×8 inch acrylic painting was birthed during a season God spoke through our pastor as well as through personal experiences about spiritual fruit and what that looks like in a true believer’s life. This will go in our dining room curio cabinet to serve as a reminder for us. Always examine the fruit—the fruit in our own lives as well as the lives of others—and remain connected to the Word of God. This framed piece will be made to order in my Etsy Shoppe.

kamillestreasures.etsy.com

Our day at the orchard wouldn’t have been complete without the perfect rock to take home and paint. We both decided on this one which had a piece of petrified wood coming out of it that we painted for the stem.

So many apples

that day I did see,

but only a few apples

came home with me.

.

Some apples had fallen;

many were bruised.

Very few apples

were fit to be used.

.

The ripened apple

can be picked for many things.

Not only for nourishment

but the joy it brings.

.

Apple cider, apple pie,

or an inspiring story;

whatever we’re used for,

we bring God glory.

.

See just like the apples

we too can serve others;

it doesn’t really matter

if we’re artists or mothers.

.

Good fruit will grow

if we abide by the tree.

When we forget we’re apples,

we remember we’re free.