Father asked, “How do you check fruit?” and I pondered that.

For me, it’s a split second decision before the delicious gem lands on my tongue.  I don’t turn it over in my hands, or smell it carefully.  I guess I don’t really check it much at all.

Christians use the phrase “Check the fruit”.  It’s an antidote for doubt, or a way to reassure ourselves that God is involved in the situation, and it makes sense unless you don’t know how to check fruit.

Father highlighted this phrase in my heart, and I saw a vision of a bunch of fruit sitting on a table in front of me.   I reacted the way I always react to fruit.  I dived right into the pile and stuffed handfuls in my mouth because I love fruit.

I love fruit so much that I’m willing to face the chance bad spot and spit it out after it’s already in my mouth.  That’s happened a few times, but it never slows me down.  Even after ejecting the bad spot, I forge quickly ahead because it doesn’t mean the whole thing is bad.

Seriously, that’s how I check fruit.

So when Father asked me this question, I laughed, but then I considered it from a spiritual perspective.

There again, I realized that I pretty much do it the same way.  I dive in freely.

Well seriously, how can I check fruit without grabbing it, and tasting it?  Anything less is simply playing with it.

Granted, I might soon be spitting something out, but how else will I know?

Physical and spiritual fruit alike can be beautiful and smell sweet, but end up being sour, or unripe, or even have a bad spot.  But I won’t know about it until I taste it.

Being paranoid about spiritual things is just about as unnecessary as it is with physical fruit.  Let me explain.

Touching something bad is not fatal like we were told, and spitting is the perfect, and quick solution.  It means that I didn’t judge unfairly based on denominational prejudices or bible school theology.  I actually taste tested and found it was sour, or icky, or ugh.  So now I can spit it out.  Done and done.  I’m OK, and there’s nothing weird glommed onto me.

I think of it a lot like the Apostle Paul when he shook the snake off.  He didn’t even fuss over the bite.  He knew the power that lived inside him was more powerful than snake venom.

Fearless tasting is the way to go.

However, I must admit that most of my bravery is based on a very large degree of trust.  I somewhat trust that my server is clean.  I slightly trust that the grocery store did their due diligence.  But my greatest trust of all is in my Father.  I’ve have come to know through time in our relationship, that He cares for me a great deal and is watching over my every detail.  He’s got my back.

When that knowledge became full-blown, it seriously set me free to taste fruit here and there, uphill and down, wherever the wind may lead me.  But I didn’t acquire that trust over night.  It took a lot of testing on my part, which He honestly didn’t mind.  As a matter of fact, He invited me to test Him with every single doubt in my mind.  He said that He wanted me to lay them eternally to rest, and this would do it.

Ironically, studying and memorizing scripture never obliterated one single doubt.  Obliteration only happened by chatting with Him over time, about every little thing that popped into my head.  It made no sense for me to battle doubts through my own will power.  Trying to override them by saying scriptures over and over simply didn’t work very well for me.  The darned things still sat there like a boulder in my path.

He knew when they were there.  He saw every thought I had.  How silly was it to pretend through sheer will power (fake faith), that I was overcoming it?  Wasn’t I simply lying to myself and trying to hide it from Him?  He is inside my head looking around all the time and He sees those things clearly.  Then He tosses them in front of me and says “Look at that.”

He isn’t judgmental.  He isn’t searching for something to reject me, or crack a whip over my head.  But sometimes I must admit, it’s a hard thing to face whatever He’s dug up.  That’s when He says, “Come on.  Have courage.  I’m here with you.”  Then we face it together, while He holds my hand.

Once it’s out in the open between us, He tells me how to fix it, and that always works.

The process is so intimate, and so exposing.  Boy, I have to say, the first few times were scary because I didn’t know how it was all going to work out.  But we’ve done this a whole bunch of times now, and I’ve come to trust Him completely.   It’s called “bonding”.

I recommend that if you haven’t tried it, then take the chance and go ahead.  Spend time with Him and find out for yourself.  You’ll see that He loves you more than you could ever fathom.

Then you’ll know, like I do, that checking fruit is easy and there’s really no risk at all.  He’s 100% trustworthy.  He’s never let me down, and He’s always got my back.  He’s even said to me “Go ahead and check that out.  I’m here.  I’ve got you.”

So, yep, it only takes me a second to pick up fruit, spiritual or otherwise, and taste it.  I’ve experienced a whole bunch of juicy morsels I probably would have never tried before.  And if I have to spit it out, oh well, on to the next one.

Just like a child.

“Taste of His goodness; see how wonderful the Eternal truly is.
    Anyone who puts trust in Him will be blessed and comforted.”  Psalm 34:8