Denise Horgan
As I sit here on my deck, yet again, during a summer rain shower, I have to ponder certain thoughts. Some of you may remember the old Wendy’s commercial, “Where’s the Beef?” In other words or meaning, where is the meat, the substance. Today I’m asking where is the fruit as I look at my tomato plant!
For some reason this summer I thought it would be a fun experiment to grow one little tomato plant on our screened in deck. Our back yard is full of wild animals and I figured the plant would have a better chance of taking root and bearing fruit up high away from its enemies. It almost sounds like isolation for this tomato plant, but in this particular instance it is only for the plant’s protection. This plant continues to grow taller than any tomato plant I’ve ever seen. I think it may be a bean stock instead of a tomato plant. No matter what the plant truly is, I have to wonder where is the fruit? Family and friends comment to me the following concerns: the plant has to pollinate, it needs bees, it isn’t getting enough sunlight, are you watering it? Well I don’t know if what they say is all true, but according to the internet, which is “never wrong”, it tells me the plant will grow and produce fruit where it is currently located, on my deck. It has definitely taken root, but where’s the fruit?
As the rain continues to softy pour down, I once again look over at the so called big green leafy tomato plant. I’m wondering if the plant is simply building its foundation. It is preparing itself to bear the fruit once the vines are strong enough to hold a tomato. Just like us, we have to build our belief system or our ideas according to scripture. Scripture gives us direction and guidance to help us have a strong confident foundation to live by. For example, the rain is coming down in a steady stream right now, but there are influences, like the wind. The wind will redirect some of the rain from coming straight down to a different course. Right now some of the streams of rain are being directed sideways resulting in a misty bath of rainwater on me. Humans are the same way. If we do not have a strong foundation of who we are from scripture, our thoughts and actions will be swayed from the worldly influences. We will steer off our course or be carried off into an unhealthy environment. Our foundation may not be strong enough to withstand the culture we live in. Just like the plant’s foundation has not matured enough to hold its fruit. We need positive influences like reading scripture and level headed family and friends. In other words, we need good practices to help us bear fruit. We have to continue to nurture ourselves as well as others to see good results happen.
Nurturing ourselves comes through Jesus. He should be who we look to for a strong foundation.
1 Corinthians 3:11 New International Version (NIV)
11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.
I will continue to nurture this tomato plant to build it’s strong foundation. I do have hope and confidence that once the foundation is strong enough, the fruit will follow. Already I see flower like buds popping out along with the thickening vine of the plant as it becomes stronger and bigger.
I think this scripture explains it the best:
Psalm 1
1 Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers,
2 but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night.
3 That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither— whatever they do prospers.
I pray that all of our foundations continue to be built on firm ground. That we develop strong biblical roots that will produce fruit. Also, may we have positive influences in our lives to guide us as much as scripture does. God, impart Your wisdom for us to be able to decipher between the worldly wants and our biblically needs that are laid out before us through scriptures. Lord help us to stand firm on Your teachings and not to dilute Your Word to accommodate our worldly wants. Show us how to live righteously and to bear fruit that will bring You glory. Come Holy Spirt, invade our lives. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.
P.S. God....thank you for the first tomato that finally popped out!!!
Denise Horgan