Let’s Go Apple Picking!

by Pastor Daniel

Hello Friends,

For this week’s lesson, I want to share with you a simple but powerful lesson that was given by Ms. Sarah Dart a few weeks ago. I hope you enjoy it!

This is what this person shared: “We have had a lot of attention on the Farmers lately. And for good reason: they are cultivating, planting, attending, and harvesting the land God created. And what they harvest is used for many different things that help you, me, and so many others. So, it’s important to recognize the farmers. As a church we collected food items and dispersed those items into 146 bags which were given to local farmers.

I was thinking, it’s not easy being a farmer: there is a lot of work involved, a lot of things to tend to, and equipment to maintain. But if you have a good crop and the tractor doesn’t have any issues, things go much better.

You know, I’ve been farming this time of year as well (not really, I’m just pretending). Now, I haven’t been farming corn or beans or wheat. But I have been farming something else. Can you tell me what I have been farming? (See image above) Apples! I’ve been farming apples. And it looks like a pretty good crop too, doesn’t it? Yes, that’s great, because farming isn’t easy, but a good crop makes things so much better.

You know what else isn’t always easy? Following Jesus isn’t always easy. Sometimes that can be very difficult. But if we choose to follow Jesus— let him live in our hearts— he will help us grow with a proper fruits to live a good life. Now, I don’t mean fruits like apples. When we choose to follow Jesus, he fills us with fruits of the spirit. Let me show you what those are. Let’s go Apple picking!

You did a great job picking apples! It looks like you picked love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control. These aren’t just some apples that you picked. These are the fruits of the spirit, and if we keep Jesus in our hearts, these will grow in us. And just like we appreciate the crops all the farmers grow, others will appreciate their fruits you grow.”

So, what sort of “apples” are you growing and picking in your life? Do others see the fruit of the spirit within you?

Your Friend, Holy Spirit!

Pastor Daniel