When Life Takes a Bite

I walked into the store and saw one of my favorite things sitting on a shelf looking absolutely irresistible.

Like a siren calling sailors to shore, it called to me. Loud. Bold. Unapologetic.

Yellow. Perfectly shaped. Smelling like it had just fallen from somebody’s backyard tree in Jamaica.

Mangoes.

Not one. Not two. Not three. Not four.

I put the entire box in my shopping cart. (Easy—-easy- on the name calling my friend).

After all, the price was right. No need to bother anybody about the mango tree in their yard, right? These precious commodities came neatly packaged in a box, fresh from Mexico.

I hurried home, stood over my sink, picked out the three most beautiful specimens from the dozen, washed them carefully, and positioned myself for what I was sure would be a little taste of heaven.

My mouth watered.

I tried to wait.

I really did.

I told myself I would count to twenty before taking the first bite.

But by the time I got to ten, my mouth grew impatient.

I bit into that mango with anticipation and expectation.

“A little taste of heaven,” I whispered.

It was a fast from hell.

The mango was sour.

Spurt sour.

Sour, sour, sour.

My eyes watered. I still don’t know whether it was from the taste or the disappointment.

I washed my hands, marched straight to my bed, buried my face in the pillow, and screamed.

Then screamed again.

And somewhere near the end of that second scream, a thought crossed my mind.

How many Christians are just like that mango?

Beautiful on the outside.

Golden in appearance.

Perfectly shaped.

Giving off all the right signals.

Looking ripe.

Looking ready.

Looking like they should be sweet.

Yet the moment life takes a bite, what comes out is bitterness, anger, pride, jealousy, gossip, unforgiveness, or impatience.

Jesus warned us about this very thing. He said, “By their fruits ye shall know them” (Matthew 7:20).

Notice He didn’t say by their leaves.

Not by their appearance.

Not by their church attendance.

Not by their favorite Bible texts.

Not by how many times they say “Praise the Lord.”

Fruit is revealed when pressure is applied.

Fruit is revealed when somebody disagrees with you.

Fruit is revealed when you’re misunderstood.

Fruit is revealed when you’re disappointed.

Fruit is revealed when life takes a bite.

The truth is, God is not interested in making us look ripe. He wants us to be ripe.

The Holy Spirit is in the business of producing fruit that is sweet all the way through—love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance.

So today, before we worry about how we appear on the shelf, perhaps we should ask a more important question:

If somebody took a bite out of my life today, what flavor would they taste?

Because eventually every mango gets bitten.

And eventually every Christian gets tested.

May God help us to be as sweet on the inside as we look on the outside.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I have eleven more mangoes from Mexico to investigate.