what kind of fruit?
The youngest of my students used to pick fruit to make fruit salad as part of their warm up exercises. We stood in a circle and imagined a large tree in the center from which we stretched our arms high to reach whatever fruit they named. Apples, pears, bananas, oranges were common requests. Once the fruit was picked, we bent over to stir our yummy fruit salad. I remember one child suggested pineapples. Even though we pretended that different fruits grew on the same tree, I didn’t want my students to imagine the misinformation that pineapples grew on trees. So, I stated “pineapples don’t grow on trees.” To which another child responded “yes they do. They grow on pine trees.” Sometimes when working with three year olds you just have to smile, laugh on the inside and move on.
The Bible challenges us to be aware of different fruit.
“No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. Each tree is recognized by its own fruit. People do not pick figs from thornbushes, or grapes from briers. A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.” Luke 6: 43-45 NIV
“My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs?” James 3:12a
What fruit we bear is often seen in what words we share. A warning to acknowledge and remember the power of the tongue is discussed in James 3:3-12.
” When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.
All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.
With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.” James 3:3-12 NIV
“This is scary: You can tame a tiger, but you can’t tame a tongue—it’s never been done. The tongue runs wild, a wanton killer. With our tongues we bless God our Father; with the same tongues we curse the very men and women he made in his image. Curses and blessings out of the same mouth!
My friends, this can’t go on. A spring doesn’t gush fresh water one day and brackish the next, does it? Apple trees don’t bear strawberries, do they? Raspberry bushes don’t bear apples, do they? You’re not going to dip into a polluted mud hole and get a cup of clear, cool water, are you?” James 3:7-12 The Message
As believers and followers of Jesus, I think in today’s world we have the added responsibility of our online voices which aren’t necessarily a product of the tongue but our fingers. May we heed the words of James and ask ourselves whether apple trees bear strawberries or fig trees bear olives?
“By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” John 13:35
You are right; we need to be careful what we release through our fingers online. May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to God our Father.
So true. Rash words are there online forever.( But that is also true of the memory)
Great post! Our witness is not only in what we share (verbally or written form) but also what kinds of things we share or like on social media.