What Kind Of Tomato Am I?

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+7:20&version=NIV

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Galatians%205:22-23&version=NIV

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=I+Peter+3%3A15&version=NIV

 I love tomatoes.  Especially good, juicy, home-grown ones.  They are much better tasting than the ones that you buy in the grocery store.  Especially in winter.  You know, the kind that was picked green a month ago and artificially ripened.  The kind that has no juice inside.  The kind that you swear is artificial.  Yuck!  There is just no comparison of an imported tomato to a home-grown one.  One that is juicy.  Tasty.  Succulent.

I like tomatoes in a variety of ways.  Cut up and freely distributed in my salad.  Occasionally I will eat one raw.  My absolute favorite way of eating tomatoes is in a sandwich.  Two slices of bread.  A lavish amount of mayonnaise on both slices.  And fat, juicy slices of tomatoes inside.  I don’t know what it is about tomato sandwiches but they just slide right down my throat effortlessly.  Hmm, hmm, good.  The point is that when something is what it’s supposed to be, in this case, a juicy tomato, one gets maximum delight out of it.  The same principle applies spiritually.

The fact is that, just as there are different kinds of tomatoes, there are also different kinds of Christians in the world.  The artificial kind are not very appealing.  Oh, they are saved alright but that’s about as far as it goes.  Inside they are sour.  Never having much to smile about.  The proverbial ‘wet blanket’ of the party.  Always suffering for Jesus.  (And making others suffer as well!)  They are pessimistic.  Always looking on the negative side of things.  Certain that every new idea will fail.  Never being willing to step out in faith.  They are legalistic.  They have all of the O. T. laws memorized.  Everything is either black or white.  They are spiritual fire extinguishers.  Always ready to quench whatever the Holy Spirit might be doing.  The truth is that these kind of Christians are not very attractive.  They look like the real thing from the outside.  But inside they’re just don’t have it.  They are dry and dull.  The reaction of others to these kind of Christians is to put up with them.  Or avoid them.  Like the plague.  These are the kind of Christians that get lampooned so frequently in our culture.  And with good reason.

Then there are the home-grown, garden variety kind of Christians.  The kind that are appealing.  They are sweet.  If I might say, juicy.  They are always smiling.  Joking.  Fun loving.  They enhance a party.  They are optimistic.  They believe in a great, powerful God.  So they aren’t afraid to step out in faith and try new things.  They are grace-ful.  As such, they are always ready to forgive.  Help.  Listen.  Encourage.  They are like spiritual fire-starters, always fanning to flame the Holy Spirit's work.  They look like the real thing from the outside.  And they are also real on the inside.  The Fruit of the Spirit just oozes out of their life.  Others are attracted to them.  They enjoy being around them.  These are the kind of Christians who get respect.  Whom even the toughest, harshest critics must admit there is something genuine about.

So, the question is, What kind of Christian am I?  Someone whom others put up with?  Or ignore.  Or worse yet, avoid?  Am I dry inside?  Stuffy?  Inflexible?  Barely a flicker of divine life?  Or am I someone that others like being around?  Someone that people gravitate toward?  Find irresistible?  Am I juicy inside?  Fresh?  Inviting?  Full of the life and the presence of the Holy Spirit?

No Christian, I believe, sets out to become the former kind.  Unappealing.  It just sort of happens.  Chalk it up to a lack of understanding about what the Bible teaches.  A lack of good role models in their lives.  An unwillingness to allow the Holy Spirit to have His way.  The good news is that this can be changed.  Any Christian can become appealing.  Winsome.  Juicy.  All they need to do is repent and allow the Holy Spirit to have complete control.  Overnight He can refresh, restore and revitalize them.  All they have to do is ask.

Lord, please examine my heart.  Am I fully devoted to You?  Does my life overflow with the Fruit of Your Spirit?  Would others say that I am kind?  Loving?  Grace-ful?  Fun to be around?  Help me that I will be attractive to others.  And that in so doing, they will be attracted to You.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.