Oreos and Fruit

When I was younger, I remember my oldest brother, Steve, had an obsession for Oreo cookies.

And my second oldest brother, Jeff, had an obsession for anything that wasn’t his.

One evening, my mom drove to pick up my brother, Steve, from his summer job. He had left a package of Oreos in the car and was anticipating eating them after work.

Jeff was along for the ride, sitting quietly in the back seat. When Steve got in the car he said, “Jeff, hand me my Oreos.”

Silence.

Steve turned around to see Jeff’s face smeared with a dark gooey substance.

“Where are my Oreos?” Steve asked accusingly.

“I don’t know.” Jeff replied, with a sheepish chocolate grin and empty cookie package crumbled in his lap.

Steve was livid. I don’t quite remember what happened after that—maybe a little bloodshed or rubbing of knuckles—those things that brothers do.

Do you ever totally blow it in life and hear God ask, “Where are my fruits?”

Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

Do you sit in a stupor with the evidence plainly smeared from your actions and sheepishly answer, “I don’t know.”

I’m sure I have. But the great thing is, God forgives a repentant heart and will continually fill it with His fruit for us to share with others.

So when God asks, “Where are my fruits?” let us be quick to respond, “I want to experience You, Lord. Give me opportunities so Your harvest will be revealed.”

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.”
–Galatians 5:22-23