GIFTS VS. FRUIT

GIFTS VS. FRUIT: A parable about two similar but different men.

The Gifts:

The gifts of a man can be likened to a man who knew a woman, and she bore to him a child--a beautiful baby boy. The boy was strong, healthy, and possessed features much like the man. The man was proud of the beautiful baby boy. Wherever the man traveled, which he did often, he boasted of the child's beauty and likeness to his own. All who saw pictures of the boy agreed and congratulated the man on his beautiful baby boy. 

Sometime later, many years later, when the man grew old and the beautiful boy was a handsome man, the old man fell ill while on his travels. He was taken to a nearby hospital where he was cared for by kind doctors and nurses. Several days passed but little recovery was made. After sometime, recognizing that he may soon be drawing his last breath, the old man asked a nurse to draw near and whispered for her to send the hospital address to his beautiful baby boy (now a man) and inform the boy of his sickness. The nurse readily agreed. 

Two days later a large beautiful bouquet of flowers, two yellow smiley-face helium balloons, and a dozen sugar cookies arrived at the hospital for the old man. The nurse received the delivery and placed the gifts on the nightstand next to the old man's bed. Opening the cookies, taking one from a sleeve, the nurse gingerly sat on the edge of the bed. Sighing heavily, she thought of how the old man would have loved the gifts that were sent by his beautiful baby boy (now a man). For the old man did not receive the gifts. He had passed away a day prior to their arrival. The nurse wiped away a tear. Taking a bite of the cookie, she stood to her feet and grabbed the rest of the cookies to share with her fellow nurses. 

The Fruit:

The fruit of a man can be likened to a man who knew his wife, and she bore to him a son -- a beautiful baby boy. The boy was strong, healthy, and possessed features much like his father. The man was proud of his beautiful baby boy. Wherever the man traveled, which he did on occasion, he boasted of the son's beauty and likeness to his mother. All who saw pictures of the boy agreed and congratulated the father on his beautiful son. 

Sometime later, many years later, when the father had grown old and the beautiful son was a handsome man, the old man fell ill while on his travels. He was taken to a nearby hospital where he was cared for by kind doctors and nurses along with his wife, son, relatives and friends who traveled to be at his side. Several days passed. Days grew to weeks but little recovery was made. After sometime, recognizing he would soon be drawing his last breath, the old man asked his son to draw close and whispered to him the address of a property the son was to inherit. The father told the son to take care of his mother. The son readily agreed. Raising a weak smile across his face, the father exhaled his last breath with a faint, "I love you."

Two days later a beautiful bouquet of flowers and a basket full of fruit arrived at the home of the late father and his wife. The son, while visiting the home, received the delivery and placed the gifts on the kitchen table next to a buffet of meals prepared by thoughtful friends and family. The wife inquired about the sender. Seeing an envelope in the fruit basket, the son opened the note to find a letter with a key inside from the late father - a letter that had been prepared and written years prior. The letter expressed the father's enduring love for his wife and son and hopes for them to enjoy long, full, happy meaningful lives. The key, as the note explained, belonged to the property that the son had inherited.

Over the next few hours, the wife and son sat at the kitchen table enjoying a bowl of fruit from the fruit basket, reading and re-reading the letter from the father. Pouring over each word, they laughed and cried as they once again heard the father's voice through the letter that came with the basket of fruit.

Moral of the story:

The moral of the story is that just as any man can impregnate a woman, any Christian can operate in the gifts of the Spirit. The gifts of God are irrevocable.(Romans 11:29). It is indeed a wonderful gift to bear children. However, it takes a father to raise a son or daughter, which requires care and attention lest the fruit become spoiled. The fruit of The Spirit requires care and attention and requires staying connected to The Father.  Let us not only operate in the gifts of the Spirit, which are good, but also in the fruit of the Spirit. (See also John 15:5-8 and Matthew 7:18-23)