What’s at the very core of who you are?
Imagine the perfect apple. It has a beautiful, shiny red exterior – free of bruises and dents. The stem curves slightly from the top, with one green leaf still attached. As you eat it, it tastes delicious! It’s not too hard, but not too soft. There are no hidden rotten areas or worm holes. As you take the last bites you wish it would’ve lasted a bit longer and you consume any remaining edibles pieces until you’ve whittled it down to the core.
The core of the apple is generally viewed as inedible, but the outer part of the apple that we found so appealing and quite delicious is actually housing the most important part of the apple – it’s ability to reproduce. Without the core and the seeds it contains, apple trees would cease to exist. They make the apple what it is. These seeds are programmed to grow future apple trees which will in turn produce more fruit bearing more seeds.
“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 6:44-45
Just like the seeds in the core of an apple cause a new apple tree to grow and bear fruit, the seeds at the core of who we are will eventually develop roots, grow, and bear fruit as well.
It’s important to look past the beautiful smiles and shiny exteriors that we project to the people around us. We even have to dig past our good intentions and the nice things we do. We need to whittle our life down to it’s very core and inspect it to see who we really are. What seeds do we find there? It’s important because these seeds will ultimately determine who we are – what kind of fruit we will bear. As we look, do we find seeds of love, of compassion, of patience? Maybe we find a few seeds of doubt. Maybe a seed of jealousy. Maybe even bitterness.
When we take that look into the very core of who we are we may not always like what we find, but it’s a necessary investigation if we want to live a Christ-like life. God will help us with this process if we ask Him. Pray that He will illuminate all areas of your life, revealing any tainted seeds that may remain. Once found, ask God to remove the seeds that would bear bad fruit and replace them with good ones. Allow Him to plant His seeds in our heart, pray that your life will be fertile soil, then remember that all seeds need moisture to grow…
ask God to saturate you with His Spirit to your very core.
MENTENTIONAL 
Rick,
Great illustration. Bearing fruit is what God requires. The Lord is always pointing this out in His word. Fruit is the offspring of the seed that was planted. For us, this is the grace of God. There must be a reaction, reciprocation, and resolve for what He has done in our lives.
Don’t be like the beautiful fig tree. Mark 11:12-14.
Later,
J
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You’re right, thanks Jerry!
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One bad one spoils the bunch. Thing is if you don’t check em out regularly it may be too late. Good words.
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We reap what we sow but fortunately we also know the Gardener! He can remove the bad and plant the good. Thanks Ken!
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