Is Your Fruit Leaking?

It was meant to be decoration.
It was meant to mimic something often seen in New England.
The origin was thought to be from Williamsburg.
History has shown that is not the case.

A fruit fan is an array of lemons, apples, oranges, and greens surrounding a pineapple.
The pineapple is a Colonial sign of hospitality.
The Colonial Williamsburg fruit fan did not actually originate in Virginia.
The fruit fan did not even begin during Colonial times.

House Beautiful magazine (1926) referred to a 15th century Italian sculptor, Luca della Robbia.
His family name has become synonymous with fruit and foliage swags.
The linking of fruited della Robbia wreaths with Christmas and front doors began.
It seems to have started in America’s wealthier homes.

It was thought that the fruit fan originated in Colonial Williamsburg in the 1700s, however, no one in the 18th century would have been caught dead with real fruit tacked to his front door. Anyone hanging fresh fruit outdoors in the middle of winter to rot or be devoured by squirrels would have been thought, at best, highly eccentric by his neighbors. (history.org)

It was a specific problem with the fruit fan that came to mind.
The colonial fruit fan can be made with artificial fruit.
It would be much easier to affix plastic fruit to a template with nails that held the fruit.
However, most people want an authentic look if they decide to make a fruit fan.

When completed, the fruit fan can be 20-30 pounds and quite heavy to hang above a door.
One man in Massachusetts makes a colonial fruit fan every year to hang above his front door.
He says that, it makes people look up, away from their busy lives.
Looking up is a sign of optimism and fruit is a sign of new life. (patch.com, December 2013)

Many years ago, I had a friend who made a fruit fan for above their front door.
The front of their house faced south.
The winter was quite mild that year.
They were preparing for a large holiday gathering and wanted their house to be festive.

The week before the party, the fruit fan was made and hung.
The week before the party happened to be unseasonably warm.
No one gave much thought to the outdoor decorations.
The house looked inviting and was ready for guests.

As people entered the house, many were wiping their brow.
The host assumed that the springlike temperatures were the reason.
It was not until the host heard the word, sticky, that it all made sense.
The host connected the dots and understood what was happening.

The fruit was leaking.
The sun on the front door, along with the warm temperatures, had rotted the fruit.
As the host opened the door, drips of orange, lemon, and pineapple juice made a sticky mess.
The host was embarrassed; there was nothing to do about it now.

A ladder would have to be gotten from the garage so that the fruit fan could be taken down.
Guests were directed to the back door.
Squirrels, smelling the fruit juice, climbed up the house to nibble on the squishy fruit.
Leaking fruit was an embarrassment then, but a wonderfully funny story afterwards.

I thought about that fruit fan as I was on my walk.
I don’t know what triggered the memory.
I laughed, remembering the mess that beautiful display of fruit made.
How I laughed.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. (Galatians 5:22-25)

This is one time when leaking fruit is more than acceptable.
When we come to saving faith in Christ Jesus, the Holy Spirit dwells in us.
Evidence of that indwelling is the Fruit of the Spirit in our lives.
That Fruit should leak; it should leak onto everything we do and everywhere we go.

Leaking Fruit of the Spirit is not a sticky mess.
Leaking Fruit of the Spirit is a tremendous blessing.
Leaking Fruit is a visible sign that we belong to Him.
We are so full of the Fruit of the Spirit, it cannot be contained.

That is the difference the hurting world sees.
That is the difference that is noticeable change from the status quo.
That is the difference that sets us apart.
That is the difference that is evidence of saving faith.

The Fruit of the Spirit is not meant to be decoration.
The Fruit of the Spirit is not meant to be ostentatious.
The Fruit of the Spirit is meant to draw others to the Lord Jesus.
The Holy Spirit never points to Himself but always points to Jesus.

Is the Fruit of the Spirit displayed in your life?
If it is, rejoice!
Live by the Spirit. (Galatians 5:16)
Is your fruit leaking?