The Best Fruit

I love getting inspirational e-mails, and since I am a girl, many of them have to do with encouraging us girl-like creatures. One of the most favorite ones I have ever gotten draws a parallel between women being apples and men being monkeys (or some other sort of climbing creature).

Anyway- it explains that women are apples and that the best fruit is at the top of the tree. Men (or monkeys, if you want to explore MY spin on it!) are afraid to climb that high for the best fruit for fear that they will fall or get hurt, so the big shiny apples at the top of the tree think they are not worth climbing for. In the meantime, the ravenous monkeys are chomping down the easy apples that are wormy and have fallen to the ground because, well, they're easy.

The little analogy concludes with the inspiration that women should realize their worth, and not worry about the lazy monkeys on the ground, but wait patiently for a bold, strong monkey to clamor to the top of the tree and pick her. It is the monkey that shows effort, ability and grace that she wants.

I wish I would have heard this little fable when I was younger. Despite the fact that my mom told me a thousand times to stay away from lazy, worthless monkeys, I found myself throwing myself to the ground because I wanted to be picked. I got wormy, and rotten and a little mushy on my underside, but lazy monkeys don't care. They'll eat whatever is offered, as long as they don't have to work too hard for it.

In trying to tie this analogy to something Biblical or inspirational, I struggled with somehow getting those rotten apples back up to their rightful standing at the top of the tree. I know my life reflects the fact that it is possible, but I couldn't quite make it all work within the monkey/apple context....until I thought of GRACE.

Grace is an unexplained gift from God that we don't deserve. With GRACE, anything is possible, so I don't have to wrack my little brain trying to figure out how to put wormy apples at the top of the tree in full splendor. God can do that in the blink of an eye, without much effort. He allows me to tell this ridiculous story, and end it the way it needs to be ended...because with Him, all things are possible.

So if you're a mush-bottomed apple, grab onto Grace and visualize yourself at the top of the tree, full and plump and shiny...and wait. Wait for that handsome monkey who is rooting around at the bottom of the tree to come to his senses and realize that the sweetest, best fruit is at the top. Swing in the breeze for awhile. Reflect the light of the Son and get those monkey's attention!

And if you're a monkey, stop eating rotten fruit and grab a branch. When you get to the top- savor the apple you pick and appreciate it for all the nutrition and sweetness it will bring to your life...and don't let go!