Pretty Watermelon

As most of you who read this know, Aron and I decided that we would attempt to grow a garden this year. The carrots and green onions were unsuccessfu; the corn stalks were super skinny and produced only a couple ears of corn, all of which had mutantly fat kernels so we didn't eat any; the peas grew a couple of pods, but not enough for even one serving; and the green beans grew some, but tasted really gross.

The only success we've had is with the canteloupes and watermelons. They've taken over! The vines that they grow on have grown so long that they are now outside of the garden space and into the yard. We've given up weeding the area after seeing a watermelon farmer on the local news, and his field of watermelons was full of grass which made us think, "If that's what a real farmer's field looks like, then we're doing great!" We've actually eaten 2 of our canteloupes and they tasted unbelieveably like the real thing!

A couple days ago, I went to inspect the watermelons and found a really large one sitting in the grass. I was so excited! I pulled it off the vine and brought it inside. I showed the kids and they thought it was so cool. We love watermelon around here and I started thinking that if the canteloupes tasted as good as they did, then our watermelon was going to be GOOD! I put the watermelon on the cutting board, got out my big knife and proceeded to cut it open. Much to my disappointment, it was almost completely white on the inside! It had just a small area in the center that was pink, but it was obviously not ready to be eaten.

I was so bummed! I mean, it looked perfect on the outside, at least to me. It had all the pretty light and dark green squiggly lines on the outside, just like you see at the store, it was pretty big, and yet on the inside, it was a totally different story. I got to thinking that this is how those of us who follow Christ can be. We can look "pretty" on the outside. We can have all the "markings" of a believer and those who look at the life we portray are convinced we've got it all together. Yet, if others were to "cut us open" and get a good look at our insides, our hearts, they'd realize the truth. We've been putting on a show, making our outward appearances look appealing, yet neglecting what's really important.

I Samuel 16: 7 tells us, "Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart." I don't know about you, but when God looks at my heart, I want Him to see the fruit of the Spirit....love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. I want my outsides to match my insides!

Lord, grow me into what You want me to be. Help me to nurture my Spirit daily so that my insides, my heart, are pleasing in Your sight. God, may my attitude, my words, my actions-those outwardly parts of me-reflect Your fruit so that others may see You in me.