The Fruit of Righteousness
Everybody gets excited for the pumpkin growin’, jam makin’, apple
pickin’ Frog Holler Fall Festival. Even Aunt Sophie. She's won 1st
place for her strawberry jam since I can remember. She's proud of it too!
Last year was a real upset. That was when Myrtle May, who
thinks she has to boil an egg for 20 minuet’s before it's done, took the honor
away from Aunt Sophie. Now you’ve got to understand, Aunt Sophie gets worked up
over the smallest thing. I remember when someone didn't put the cover over the
butter dish. She got herself in such a state; she had to take a nerve pill. You
can imagine how she felt not winnin’ the jam contest!
Aunt Sophie stopped talkin’ to Myrtle May - even at church.
The whole town was talkin’ ‘bout it. Some said, "The devil's got hold of
Sophie!" Aunt Sophie even looked different. Her face was set like stone.
It seemed like her heart had become cold ‘n hard. No one wanted to be ‘round
Aunt Sophie anymore. Then one night while readin’ her Bible, she felt convicted
by God's Word of her envy. When she read in the book of James, it made her
realize that even though her jam was sweet, the fruit of her earthly
"wisdom" was bitter.
The next Sunday, Aunt Sophie went right up to Myrtle May ‘n
apologized for treatin’ her so bad. Then Aunt Sophie asked Myrtle May for some
of her jam ‘n her recipe!
This year Aunt Sophie has decided to try her luck in the pie
contest with her famous blueberry pie. She doesn't care if she wins or not. She
knows either way this year, she will "raise a harvest of
righteousness."
James 3: 14-15 & 17-18
"But
if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie
against the truth. This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly,
sensual, demonic. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then
peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without
partiality and without hypocrisy. Now the fruit of righteousness is sown
in peace by those who make peace."
I'm not very competitive, but I do struggle with feeling hurt and frustrated when I give my all to a project and nobody notices or appreciates it...or worse yet, persecutes me for it.
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