Good Fruit?

"Deny your weakness, and you will never realize God's strength in you." Joni Eareckson Tada

Tomatoes, to-mah-toes. Fruits or vegetables?

Call them by any name, but let's face it: produce needs to look perfect.

And as I gleefully harvest my garden summer tomatoes,

I notice that very few would look "good enough" for a grocer's shelf.

But we're willing to pay for pretty:

Give us this day the glossy and bright, the fire-engine red, just like in the ad.

Forgive us for snubbing the flawed and misshapen

as we forgive those who waste food to meet our demands.

In retail, "flawed" means any variation in size, shape or color that won't readily sell due

to strict "cosmetic standards."

Flawed is less desirable. Less valuable. Less-than.

But the demand for pretty produce hides some unattractive truths:

Perfectly good items are tossed (almost 63 billion pounds of produce each year).

Perfectly usable foods are feeding nobody (instead of fully nourishing 156 million individuals).

Perfection (in appearance) is costly.

Then there's the premature harvesting paired with forced rapid-ripening.

The result?

Beneath the surface, a tasteless middle.

Under the skin, accelerated spoilage.

At the core, mush.

We sigh in disappointment. Duped again.

Sure, we know good things take time,

but we want it now.

(I know full well that it took my tomatoes 5-6 months from seed to ripe fruit.)

Right, right...good things can't be rushed, but we demand it.

(I know the tasty truth of my lop-sided, sun-ripened, mouthwatering tomatoes, and there's nothing like it.)

But if almost half of all produce items are not "good enough" cosmetically for the shelves,

does that mean they are useless?

If there are blemishes or bruises,

does that mean they are worthless?

If they don't meet every standard,

are they disposable?

Are the flawed, imperfect or mis-fits irredeemable?

Thankfully, these very foods with "variation" can find new life.

Enter an organization called Misfits Market, which acquired Imperfect Foods.

This food-rescue is waste-averting, purpose-reclaiming and life-saving.

Is it possible to see good in flawed things?

Imperfect. Flawed. A misfit.

If these are words we use to describe ourselves,

they are accurate assessments, in all truth and humility.

But if the conclusion is that we are therefore "no good," that lie is rotten to the core.

Because God saw all that He had made, and it was very good. Genesis 1:31

Despite any embarrassing flaws, we are not useless.

Being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion. Philippians 1:6

Regardless of shame or guilt-inducing blemishes, we are not worthless.

For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works. Ephesians 2:10

But what about the particular wound or bruise,

the thing we would rather hide, distract, mask or avoid?

How can good be made from that (part of us)?

That.

Especially that, we are promised:

My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. 2 Cor 12

In the book, "My Best Teachers Were Saints," by Susan Swetnam, the saints are relatable humans

with failures and fumbles of all types

who have great lessons to teach us.

All are human; not one is flawless.

So what makes saints different?

It is possible to see good (God) in all things!

Saints acknowledge the wound

and trust God will use it.

Knowing God is within,

saints lean into union with God.

The wound is the place where light enters you. Rumi

And what is faith without flaws, fumbles and failures?

These are requirements of a faith journey which allow us to acquire humility,

grow our compassion for ourselves and others,

depend more upon God,

and showcase God's power and authority through our imperfect vessels.

When we struggle to see good (God), is there a place for us?

Our Creator has many names inspired by our awe and His authority.

And as a Master Gardener, He is growing and maturing us (His produce) in His Good time,

even when it doesn't feel like a "good time" to us.

But He is the expert.

And just like each single tomato was created with hundreds of seeds nestled inside it,

seeds with the promise and power of life,

God nestled His Spirit, the promise and power of life, inside of each of us.

And "when we live God's way?

He brings gifts into our lives,

much the same way that fruit appears in an orchard. The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness,

faithfulness, gentleness and self-control." Galations 5:22

Having God's spirit within, we are never alone:

And when we're fixated on our flaws,

we can think of God as Master Chef who is incorporating us (with all of our blemishes)

into His Good Purpose, something beyond our individual ingredients.

In Him you are also being built together for God's dwelling in the spirit! Ephesians 2:22

As I hold my treasured garden tomatoes,

I inspect them.

Sniffing and surveying, I’ll clean them up.

And I know which ones will be sliced for sandwiches, cut in wedges for salads,

diced for salsas or chopped for marinara sauce.

It’s all good.

Isn't it wonderful that as we offer our whole-selves, especially our flaws,

"we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good!”Romans 8:28, The Message

It’s all God.