Rotten Fruit

Last summer, Joshua and I enjoyed eating BELTs. (Bacon, Egg, Lettuce, Tomato). The sandwiches tasted even better with our home-grown tomatoes. I was excited today to go out on my balcony and harvest the first fruits.

The tomatoes were small, which surprised me, but since they appeared so nice and red, I figured it was time to pick them. They looked so good.

But as soon as I picked the first one I realized something was very wrong.

It was too squishy. I looked at the bottom and saw a big, dark, rotting spot. I picked another, and another. They all had the same rotten bottom. I was crushed.

What went wrong?

I searched for answers and found out that my circumstance was not unique. In fact, it is quite a common malady for tomatoes. It’s called blossom-end rot, which is why it happened at the bottom of the fruit, where the blossom was. It’s caused by calcium deficiency, which can happen when the roots are unable to transport the needed calcium to the fruit. The culprit is usually inconsistent watering. The plant has been watered too much, or not enough. Heavy rain, or severe drought. It has been a hot summer, and while I thought I was giving my tomatoes enough water, it wasn’t sufficient.

As soon as I suffered this blow to my gardening pride, I figured there must be a spiritual lesson here. I thought of my two favorite tree passages, Psalm 1 and Jeremiah 17:5-8. In both of these passages, the tree is planted by a river or a stream. A consistent water source. When drought and heat come, the tree has no need to fear, and it won’t stop yielding fruit.

Good fruit. Not rotten fruit.

These trees are compared to people who delight in God’s Word and are constantly meditating on it. They trust in the Lord, because they’re continually turning their heart to Him. These people are getting enough sustenance to make it through, even when hard times come. Because we know there are dry times in every person’s life – times of heat and trial. But if our roots are stretched out into that constant, cool, refreshing stream of life – God’s Word – we will be able to endure and bear fruit even in difficult times.

So that’s my challenge – to myself, and to you. Are we constantly reading and meditating on God’s Word? Are we seeking Him daily, or are there days (or weeks) where we don’t? If we get out of the habit of looking to the Lord, it won’t be long before the effects show. Consistency is key in growth. My other favorite gardening passage (John 15) makes it crystal clear: if we abide in Christ, we will bear much fruit.

Good fruit.