Lessons from the Apple Tree

Lessons from the Apple Tree

                The yellow transparent apple tree sits in the middle of the yard on the Sturgeon Farm in southern Indiana. This fall was the third year that I have had the opportunity to pick apples from the tree and hear the knowledge that my husband has acquired over the years caring for this tree. As I listened to his wisdom, I began to see that this tree has many lessons about the Christian life that it could teach me.

                Each spring my husband trims the branches so that light can reach the middle of the tree, the center of life for producing the fruit on the tree.  A good lesson for all of us to learn is that we need to take time to trim away the things in life that are preventing God to reach our center and so that our light can shine out between the branches of busyness in our lives.  What branches do you need to trim in order to get light to your center?

                The branches that shoot straight up on the apple tree do not bear fruit. Only the branches that bend bare the fruit.  Do you help others carry the load of sorrow and pain that can cause your branches to bend so they can produce fruits of the spirit or do you look straight ahead focusing only on yourself and your needs? 

                As my husband and I picked the apples, our mothers sat in chairs under the shade of the tree.  Observing our mothers sit under the shade of the apple tree reminds me that God created the Sabbath, a time to rest. So often we forget to take time to sit under the shade of the tree and feel the cool breeze blowing on a warm summer day. We forget that God meant for us to take time to rest and be still.

                Our mothers didn’t sit under the tree for long because although their older bodies won’t allow them to work as hard, they know the value of work. They sorted through the apples putting the very nice ones into one bucket and the ones deemed not so nice in another bucket for applesauce. But sometimes the apple that looked perfect on the outside was rotten at the core when we sliced into it.  How often do we focus on the outside to make it look perfect, but neglect our core and let it become rotten?

                I read a book this summer called Praying in Color by Sybil McBeth. She encouraged me to draw out my prayers when I couldn’t find words. This is a result of my thoughts and prayers about the apple tree. As you can see, I am not an artist but found joy in my attempt to be one.

                 My husband and I live about an hour away from the farm so our time to work on the apple tree is limited to weekends.  Although we wanted the apples to ripen on our limited time schedule, we were very disappointed when they didn’t cooperate. We could pick the apples that weren’t as ripe and turn them into applesauce, but the best apple pies require only the ripe fruit. How often do we want God to work on our time schedule? Why do we find it so hard to wait for the fruit to ripen?

                Making applesauce is hard work.  It is better done in community.  If we work as a team, the job is done quicker and the fellowship is priceless.  Spiritual formation is also hard work.  It is better to be surrounded by a community of believers who can walk with us on our journey and the fellowship is priceless. How hard are you working on your spiritual life? Who is accompanying you on the journey?

                Who would have thought that an apple tree could teach us so many lessons about living the Christian life?  If you grow a healthy tree, you'll pick healthy fruit. If you grow a diseased tree, you'll pick worm-eaten fruit. The fruit tells you about the tree."— Matthew 12:33 The Message   What does the fruit of your tree say about you?