Sunday, June 13, 2010

Vine Ripe?

"I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener....remain in me, and I will remain in you."
John 15:1-4

      I cut up a tomato today for BLT's and noticed as I popped a piece in my mouth, that it tasted very bland. The store where I bought them advertised "Vine ripe tomatoes." They were bright red and beautiful, and just as the ad promised, they were still attached to a vine.

      I guess the taste wouldn't have disappointed me so much if I had never tasted a truly ripe tomato off the vine - but I have. Because I have tasted the real thing, I was not easily fooled by these red impostors. I believed what I was told and what I saw, until I tasted it. The tomatoes were indeed on the vine, but the vine was cut off from the source of nourishment long before they were ripe; leaving them to turn red while in transport to their destination.

      As I finished putting the BLT's together to feed my family lunch, a thought came to mind. How many people are spiritually like these tomatoes? They look great on the outside but on the inside they haven't ripened (matured) because, though they appear to be growing on the vine, they are not attached to the true source of nourishment - Jesus Christ. In His word he tells us that He is the Vine. If we're trying to be Christians without Him, we are only impostors.

      Looking back at those tomatoes, I couldn't help but wonder -How many times have I settled for less than the real thing? If I look like a Christian on the outside, I pray that if the very core of my heart were exposed, it would reveal a Christian on the inside. When we're attached to the true Vine and nourished with God's love and truth, we ripen from the inside out. We can then live our lives with no false advertising, and we can honestly say, "Vine Ripe!"

18 comments:

  1. This is a great post. I love your analogy. It really gives us food for thought (lol). No seriously, you've made a good point. Happy SS! Hope they get Mr. Linky back up soon so I can visit more sites.

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  2. I've had the same experience here with those 'vine ripe' tomatoes. Both the fruit and the human kind.
    Not much we can do with the kind we eat but we can sure pray up a storm for the others.

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  3. Great post! Glad you got it on this weekend! Thank you so much for sharing your wise insights!

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  4. Great post!!
    "Ripen from the inside out and nourished by God's Truth and Love"
    Amen

    Blessings
    Bernice

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  5. What a wonderful analogy.I love reading post like this.Now everytime I eat a tomatoe I will think of your post.
    Have a blessed day,
    Ginger

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  6. That is such a neat post. I read a cute Tweet on Twitter that said If you are a Christian, tell your face. I pray that others will know we are Christians. Thanks so much for your sweet visit. Blessings ~

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  7. This is a wonderful analogy! Enjoyed it so much and really gave me pause...

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  8. Great analogy. Lord, help us all to cling to the TRUE VINE!

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  9. What a great comparison. You're so right about the tomatoes. Nothing tastes better than a true vine ripened one, but those impostors are barely fit to eat. We definitely need to stay attached to the true vine. Thank you for sharing this. I'm sorry you didn't get to share it last week, but glad you could do so today.
    Blessings,
    Charlotte

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  10. Amen! I am hungry for the "real thing"!

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  11. Well said!!
    Yes, if we belong to Him we don't have to say a word. It shows in our persona and all we say and do.
    I had a few words to my grandson the other day about a word I heard him use..
    "But Nan," he answered me, "Everyone speaks like that!"
    I shuddered!
    He probably thinks I'm old and know nothing...LOL
    Anyhow I told him some of the things that I didn't do, that I could have done, when I was young.
    Be a Leader, I told him, not a follower!!
    I must tell him about these tomato's..its a great explaination.
    I pray it hits home.
    Bless you for this!

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  12. What a wonderful post. I love the analogy. Very meaningful and very true! Have a great week.

    Christi @ A Southern Life

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  13. Charlotte, you wrote such a wonderful post! I like the verse you choose. It is very appropriate for using the tomato which is a fruit as a great analogy!

    I think my link is working now. I hope someone tries to stop by and let's me know! Blessings to you! Happy SS although it late Sunday! We were with our families in our hometown. My MIL is hospitalized and things do don't look well. Prayer is so welcomed for my phamily! Blessings! Anne

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  14. Excellent post! Thanks Charlotte!

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