Rebeultionaries don't just grow, they produce fruit!

The life of a tomatillo

It starts out as a beautiful little blossom

grows into a baby lantern
then into a big lanternand then before you know it, you have a million huge lanterns.These are the two plants in rocky soil, and they have around 50 tomatillos now.

And this is the two plants in the good soil. I don't believe it has any tomatillos, at the moment.

Last night I went outside to look at some of my plants, and God showed me a very practical spiritual analogy.

I have four tomatillo plants. Two of them are in a planter box full of good, moist soil, with some tomatoes. Two of them are in a little garden I have. It's an oval shaped bit of ground, outlined with rocks. The soil is rocky, dry, and about a foot deep into the ground there is a huge boulder. There are a few little, scrawny irises in the garden with the tomatillos.

The tomatillo plants in the good soil took off when I planted them. They have grown to a humongous size and have just engulfed the tomato plants they are with. There are bunches of the beautiful, little yellow flowers, yet few of them produce fruit. The few tomatillos I have gotten from the plant have been teeny-tiny.

The plants in the rocky soil took a long time to get big at all. They are still a nice, moderate size, and there are a nice, moderate amount of blossoms. Most of these blossoms, however, are turning into fruit! To my great surprise, the fruit is growing quit large. The papery, green lanterns the tomatillos grow in are a good 3 inches around. There are at least 6 big lanterns, and over 15 smaller ones. I can't wait to harvest the first batch of tomatillos! Then I will get Mama to buy some cilantro, limes, and jalapenos, and we will make salsa verde.



The plants in good soil made me think of the way we Christians tend to be. When we have a good life - lots of friends, money, a good home, a good church - just a good life, we forget to focus on what really matters. Often times we spread ourselves around, hurrying and scurrying everywhere but rarely getting anything truly important done. We may do a lot of little nice things, and occasionally we put forth some effort and accomplish something.

Let me show you how the picture I just gave you would look in my life.
Sunday I go to church, talk with friends, come home, eat, take a nap, browse around online, go back to church, practice with the choir, shake a few hands, jot down a few "fill-in-the-blank notes", come home, and go to bed. Monday I do some school, read a quick Proverb, do my school, do chores. Tuesday I go to school, don't really acknowledge the other kids at school, come home, eat supper, clean up, go to bed. Wednesday, Proverb, school, get ready for church, teach Natalie her piano lesson, rattle off a few verses to keep on the Gold status in my youth group, talk to a few friends, play a game, jot a few notes from the devotion, go home, go to bed. Thursday, and Friday are just like Mondays. Saturday I sleep in, get up, read a Proverb, don't do anything of importance, just whatever is on my agenda for the week.

So I'm involved in church, and I read a Proverb every day. I go to school and have a good reputation - I don't let other's cheat off my answers, and I don't curse. I'm nice to people, and everybody likes me. That's a pretty good life, right?

What if it could be SO MUCH better that that?!

The plants in rocky soil made me think of how Christ wants us to be. Life is hardly ever peaches and cream. Too often there isn't much to go on - finances are tight, friends are scarce, church isn't the best, and health is poor. What should we do? Dig deep anyway! Reach, reach down into the Word and find energy to grow. No matter what circumstances are around us God has given us the grace to grow! Don't do as much, but do what matters and accomplish great things!

Now I will show you what this picture would look like in my life.

Sunday I take in all I can from the sermon and worship, and find practical ways to apply it to my life. Monday I dig into Proverbs, apply it, diligently do my school, help with chores, spend time with siblings. Tuesday at school I make it a point to speak encouraging words to those around me, help anyone I can, and be aware not to miss any opportunities for sharing Christ. Wednesday I don't just quote my verses for the sake of my status in the youth group, but because I love to hide God's word in my heart. I spend time making the new kids in the youth group feel special and loved, as they are, and encourage them to be godly. During the week instead of wasting my time away, I spend it wisely on school, Bible memory and reading, and doing the things a daughter and sister should do. I make goals for personal growth and stick to them. I purpose to find ways to become more like Christ, and share him with those around me.

So I produce the fruit of the Spirit.

This is a convicting post to write!

So, anyway, that was my little spiritual revelation.

God is good!

<3