Do You Inspect the Fruit?

I love fresh fruit. I enjoy going to farmers’ markets and buying fruit fresh from the farmers who have carefully grown it. Touching the fruit to check how ripe it is or giving a little knock on it to listen for its ripeness delights me.

One of the downsides of winter in the Midwest is that fresh, locally grown fruit is nonexistent. We are at the mercy of whatever the stores bring in.

Recently, during my weekly grocery trip, I put a package of raspberries in my cart. I must have been in a bit of a rush because I failed to look over the contents.

However, as I was placing my items on the belt at the checkout, I lifted the container of raspberries and inspected the fruit on the bottom. Much to my disappointment, the berries had already started to go bad, and mold was forming.

Even though there were bright red raspberries at the top of the container, the fruit on the bottom was rotten.

I handed the container to the cashier and told her I didn’t want them. I was in a rush, so I didn’t go get another container.

As I was driving home, I was surprised at my disappointment that I would not have raspberries for breakfast. No juicy sweetness to accompany my eggs.

It got me thinking about whether I was looking at my own spiritual fruit. Sure, the fruit on top looks good, but what about what is down deep—is that good fruit, or is it starting to rot?

The Bible tells us what kind of fruit we are supposed to be growing and cultivating. Galatians 5: 22-23 states, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law” (NIV).

When I’m at church or around friends, my good fruit is plentiful. I am kind and patient with others. My self-control is remarkable. However, when I am in the safety of my home with my husband and kids, my rotten fruit displays itself. I have no forbearance, and my gentleness leaves a lot to be desired.

I realized I needed to inspect all my fruit carefully and do some pruning.

I started to think about Customs and how an individual can’t bring certain fruit across the border into the US. When I went online to read about the restrictions, I saw that the reason for this is that some fruit could be carrying pests or diseases. The fruit itself could look completely delicious; it may not look rotten, however, outside things have attached to the fruit, making it harmful. We need to inspect it!

In Matthew 7:15-20, we are called to be fruit inspectors: “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them” (NIV).

While it’s important to inspect our own fruit and prune where necessary, I’ve also become more aware that I need to inspect the fruit of those I am allowing to influence my kid’s lives—and honestly, my own life as well.

When Scripture mentions false prophets, it is referring to people who claim they have been sent by God but have not. Immediately following the Scripture above, in Matthew 7:21, Jesus tells us that not everyone who says “Lord, Lord” will enter the kingdom of heaven.

I think these verses provide wisdom to assist us in inspecting the fruit of those we allow to speak into our lives. Maybe it’s a writer or influencer whose words cause red flags for you, and you need to unfollow them. Perhaps it’s a musician whose words are not what you want your kids to listen to. It might even be the latest Netflix binge everyone is watching–and you need to inspect it yourself!

Friends, we are bombarded with many, many messages from the world. From different news stations to books, to music, to social media, to entertainment, they are all blasting their fruit at us. We need to inspect the fruit.

If we are willing to take the time to lift a container of raspberries to see if the fruit on the bottom is rotten, we also need to take the time to look beneath the surface of our lives and of those we allow to have influence in our lives. Are we—and they—producing good fruit or bad fruit?

Heather Gerwing is living the full life with her husband, Jeff, four kids, and a dog in Metro Detroit. Heather enjoys reading, writing, coffee-ing, and serving in youth ministry. She was born a Jersey girl and feels most at home on a beach. She is the host of the monthly link-up, Share Four Somethings. You can join Heather on the journey to living the full life at www.heathergerwing.com.