Faith

The Home School Review crew has issued the challenge for today… harvest time decor!   I saw that and thought GAH I haven’t a clue.  I’m really not a decorator for things like that.  I do Christmas cause it’s easy, but any other seasonal/holiday thing, it’s just really not my thing.   

I talking with my tenant that this week’s challenge and her prompt response was “oh, that’s easy!   Can I write it for you?”  Never one to turn down a freely offered gift I said “sure!”   So here goes her post: 

Harvest Time Decor

There is a ton of decorations for Harvest time.

Let’s start with nature and the beauty of the leaves turning colour. I’ve seen a mountainside with a green background and coloured trees throughout with the greenish-blue of the Atlantic Ocean, and the blue of the sky…magnificent!

We try to bring that beauty inside when harvest time comes around. Yes, in spring and summer we may bring in the odd bouquet of flowers, but it’s not like harvest decorating. We bring in gourds, pumpkins, corn and corn stalks, hay bales, and let’s not forget the cornucopia, also known as the Horn of plenty.

A cornucopia is an assortment of fruit. It’s a familiar part of harvest time decor. When referring to the horn of plenty, it is a basket, shaped like a horn, and fill with the freshness of harvest.  You’ll find pumpkins, fruit, dates, grapes, apples, gourds, squash and more.  The abundance of harvest for all to see.

That is what I would like to focus on. What kind of fruit is in your cornucopia?

Pruning for More Fruit

In John 15, Jesus talks about branches that bear no fruit are taken away, branches that bear good fruit, are pruned, so they can yield more fruit the next harvest.

John 15:1-2  “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. ² Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 

The first idea I have here is that we often equate pruning with something bad. Granted the bad fruit needs to be taken care of, but in this instance, Jesus doesn’t talk about bad fruit, but good fruit.

When gardening, there are some plants that must have the fruit harvested in order to produce more fruit. If the fruit is left and not harvested, the next yield will be stunted, or the fruit will go bad. So, when a pruning or plucking happens in your life, deal with it willingly, not willfully. (That right there will show you the condition of your fruit).

Consider then the branches

Next, Jesus talks about the relationship between the branches and the tree.

John 15:4-8 ⁴ Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. ⁵ I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. ⁶ If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. ⁷ If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. ⁸ By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.

This is an allegory of our individual relationship with God. I know no one is perfect. We all have shortcomings. It’s how we deal with those shortcomings, though. If we are properly grafted into the root of God and His Word, then we are always dealing in humility and repentance. (Now in this let us not forget the apostle Paul’s words in Romans 6. We don’t purposely sin to make grace abound). Our relationship with God is of the utmost importance. It is up to us to keep it healthy, not someone else. To abide in Him, and He in you is a lifestyle of perpetual awareness of what God has for you.

Taking Stock

Now I am going into a possibly sore area.

What condition is your fruit? Is it fresh and useable, or does it resemble plastic fruit? Fake it ‘til you make it type thing?

I remember as a child I got plastic fruit confused with real. My mother informed me of the truth, and I learned a lesson. Not all fruit is real. We often talk about bad fruit, but what about fake fruit?

I know life is hard at times and we need a break. That is okay. It is better to take a break than to fake being okay and producing fake fruit.

The bottom line is, we are so wanting a harvest and for God to use us, we move ahead without letting our fruit mature. We think we have developed well, but our fruit is artificially ripened fruit. We have the power, but not the authority. Authority we would properly obtain with properly ripened fruit.

So, this harvest time, as you look around at all the harvest time decor, take time to consider what kind of fruit is in your cornucopia.

Is it going to be helpful, well developed and nourishing for you and others around you, or will it be a little off and sour?

When the fruit of the spirit is healthy and well developed, we can then proceed to call in the harvest. Are you ready?