It is apple season. One of my favorite seasons of all. I love a good apple, and there are so many good varieties. I have to admit, however, that growing up, I wasn’t so fond of apples. We always seemed to have Red Delicious at my home, which to me, was only accurate as to the color of the apple. My parents had planted an apple tree in the back yard, which never produced many, and those that grew were always full of bugs.
Later that apple tree got shaded by tall cottonwoods, encroached upon by sumac, and never produced again. That was always a point of dismay, cut it down and start over, or get “Biblical” and dig a little more manure around it for one more year. (Luke 13:8) And it seemed that “one more year” always won out and became what seemed an eternity which did not result in any apples. That is why we had Red Delicious.
Now living on the North Shore, I harvest truly delicious apples. And I know many of you do as well. I am sure we have a shared experience of tending the trees, pruning off the water sprouts, avoiding all kinds of pesticides so that we can watch for the bees and butterflies to come, thinning the number of apples on each branch, and then anxiously awaiting the harvest. I am learning that participating in a good harvest takes years of work.
Now there is a spiritual connection to be made with apple trees. And for starters, you need to get that old Sunday school image out of your head; Eve and Adam did not get tempted by the serpent to eat an apple! If apples are the source of the knowledge of good and evil, then we would be the wisest people ever. And I just don’t see it.
Rather apples were among the trees of which the Bible says “out of the ground the LORD God made to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food.” (Gen. 2:7) Apples are part of the abundant providence that God supplies.
Recently I was privileged to have a meal with many local gardeners who started talking with animated delight about their apple trees, the harvest, and their recipes of deliciousness. And sometimes, in fact, many times, the abundance is too abundant, and they need to ask friends and neighbors to come and help themselves to some of the apples. Apple sauces, cider, apple butter, pies, crisps, dehydrated snacks made the conversation not only mouthwatering, but indicative of the joy we experience in participating in this God-given process.
Participating is the keyword. Sometimes God’s grace and goodness can be like that apple tree you may see full of apples, but no person is harvesting. The fruit is beautiful and available, but no one picks, and no one enjoys it. I am not talking about apples. God’s grace and goodness are evident all around us in the fruits of “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” (Galatians 5:22-23) I am sure you can expand this list, and you can make it more practical and tangible by being more specific, and I am equally sure that you do so in your life.
How much richer is our world and each community when we open our hands and hearts to take in these fruits which God has abundantly provided. But like all fruit, we must participate in the harvest to make them our own and delight in them.
We have an Apple Fest in Grand Marais this weekend at the Community Center. I am very honored to have been asked to share my experiences as a local bee-keeper at the festival as well as talk about ways we can “bee” more friendly to pollinators, which are essential to the harvest of good.
Each month a member of the Cook County Ministerium will offer Spiritual Reflections. This month our contributor is Reverend Mark Ditmanson of Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Grand Marais.
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