The Apple Tree

     Little by little, our Lord was showing me how to live a life of sacrificial love. "No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends." (John 15:13) 

     One day I was in an antique shop and I eyed a 70's decoupaged plaque which read, "It is not in doing the things we enjoy, but enjoying the things we must do, that makes life blessed -- Goethe." Along the perimeter of the plaque, are art renderings of a farmer plowing the field, a woman carrying produce into a house, etc.  Being the only person in the store at the time, the clerk/owner struck up a conversation with me about the saying on the plaque.  He said that his "pappy" used to say, "Have you ever seen an apple tree enjoy a freshly baked apple pie?  Of course not. The reason for the life of the apple tree is to produce delicious fruit for God's children."  The wise store-owner continued to share the wisdom that was passed down to him, and added how God provides the soil, water, and sun in order that the tree can be fruitful. We thank God for the apples, not the tree.  A wonderful and inspiring discussion ensued on how we have all been created to find the joy in serving rather than in being served and that God provides everything we need.  "Just so, the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many." (Matthew 20:28)

     As you may have guessed, I purchased the plaque and it has hung in our kitchen for many, many years as a reminder to me of the joy in serving with love.  In hindsight, I saw how I was waiting to be loved by my husband, and desiring to be served in return for serving, and I was dying inside. Learning that family life is holy work and that when it is done with the love provided by God, it produces the life-giving fruit of love.  "We love because he first loved us." (1John 4:19).  With every act of love done in service with and for God, we are blessed with the joy of life and are fruitful.  I thank God for the times that I cooperate with Him to produce the fruit of love for others to enjoy, rather than partaking in it just for myself.   God's plan is so much better than anything I could ever dream of.  How great it is whenever I give away God's love to feed others with the fruit of His love, for it is then that His love multiplies within me.  Such joy! 

      Something we must enjoy doing in order to grow in our love of God and one another, is read scripture.  A contemplation of the First Letter of John in the New Testament always blesses me with new insights about God's love.  (It is very short.)  Ask the Holy Spirit to enlighten you and sacrifice some time to read it.  I promise, you will be blessed.