Every Tree Is Known By Its Own Fruit

"For every tree is known by its own fruit. For men do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they gather grapes from a bramble bush." Luke 6:44

I am extremely glad that God created such a vibrant, colorful, diverse world full of contrasts. I would not want everyone to be like me. If everyone had the same innate silliness that possesses me much of the time, the world would have never progressed. The industrial revolution would still be in dust. The wheel would still be a rock. Penicillin would still be bad bread to be tossed in the refuse bin.

We need scientists, engineers, mathematicians; deep thinkers to keep moving us forward. We also need dreamers, poets, artists, and abstract thinkers to remind us it is okay to relax and just be.

An intricately folded origami bird sets a scientist to thinking of the mechanics of a bird in flight and searching for ways to improve air travel. A dreamer, seeing the same origami bird begins to imagine folding words into patterns to fashion a poem into a bird’s wings so it can soar.

Realists tell us what is. Dreamers tell us what can be. Just as you cannot gather grapes from a bramble bush, so you cannot expect a dreamer to design elaborate feats of engineering. And you cannot expect a scientist to see the five shades of purple in a pansy or make the connection between a warm spring breeze and the feel of air moving when a grandmother engulfs you with her loving arms.

We need people of differing behaviors and personalities, and we also need people of different races, colors. The Lord planned it this way, just as he planned each tree. Everyone must produce fruit as God intended.

Imagine what a boring world it would be if everyone had the same color of skin, same iris color, same hair color, same personality. How would we learn if everyone only knew the same thing? Instead of letting our differences divide us, we should embrace them, learn from them.

No one race has the market cornered on tolerance or intolerance, love or hate. Other nationalities differ in tradition, culture, and religion, but we can and should love them for themselves. Radical extremist groups like ISIS and the Taliban do not represent the majority of the Muslim people, the same as the radical extremist Westboro Baptist Church does not represent the majority of the Christian people, and white supremacist groups like the KKK do not represent the American people as a whole.

The Lord loves every person on this earth. He adores the seeds that make each person unique-He did plant the seeds after all. Let us all then concentrate on producing our chosen fruit and enjoying the smorgasbord of diversity, always in reach to nourish us.