Most of the trees were very large, and we would sometimes climb up in them to look into the mourning dove's nests. One day as we were exploring, we came upon a very young tree that was only maybe six or seven feet tall -- right in the middle of the old trees.  The moment we saw the tree, we stopped in awe.

What was special about this tree, was the fruit.  The old trees around it had regular red delicious apples.  This tree had golden delicious apples the size of cantaloupes! 

In recent years, I've spent a lot of time studying God's Word, and meditating on how God calls us his planting.  On one such day, I had a mental picture come to me of that day in the orchard. As I stopped and thought about how awe-struck we were in seeing those giant apples, the Lord gave me a sudden revelation about fruit.

Now, you and I know all about having the fruits of the Spirit, mentioned in Galations 5:22-23 (love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance).  These are great 'fruits' to have in one's life, aren't they!  Our lives work so much better when we let these fruits grow in us.

What struck me the day the Lord brought the vision of the giant apples back to me, was something I hadn't thought about before, though.  Knowing he was trying to show me something, I just sat quietly thinking about this picture -- seeing myself and my little brother standing in that orchard, awed by the huge apples.  I didn't hear an audible voice, but suddenly it was as though the Lord spoke to my heart and said, "The fruit isn't for the tree."

That short sentence reminded me of two things about walking with the Lord. One was of the night that Jesus was betrayed, when he told his disciples:

The other, was at dinner the same night, when Jesus told the disciples that he was giving them a new commandment to love one another as he had loved them.  He said,