My tangent this time was the difference between fruit and vegetables, Biblically speaking. The concept of fruit is common. All Christians are familiar with the fruit of the Spirit.
(Galatians 5:22-23 KJV) But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.The word “vegetable” is used a few times in the NASB. I don’t know if it is in the KJV. The word means “greens.” Did they have broccoli and Brussel sprouts in ancient Israel?
So, what is the difference? I am not a botanist. I understand the difference has to do with where the seeds are, or at least I think I understand that. I am more interested in the application to life. I am no farmer but it seems that fruit develops naturally while vegetables need to be tended more carefully. Fruit is perennial. Vegetables are usually annuals.
What does that mean in our daily walks? There are some areas that God develops naturally. The longer we walk with Jesus the more the fruit of the spirit should be growing. They are based in the gifts of the Spirit. God keeps nurturing them. Some change is instantaneous. Some takes decades. Everyone is different in their growth.
Other areas, the spiritual vegetables, are the product of discipline and study. We are expected to take the raw material that God gives us, assume that grace is at work, rely on the Holy Spirit, put our shoulder to the wheel and push on. We are told to study, work out, seek, knock, ask and a plethora of other verbs. They will be in the present declarative active, not the passive future.
Have you tended your garden today?
homo unius libri
I wonder if "potherbs" aren't what the NSB might mean. Since many of the Jews were shepherds, I would assume they were speaking of wild greens, sort of like the sheep eat.
ReplyDeleteI had to Google that one. It looks like a good term. According to the internet it is any leafy plant where you can eat the stalk as well.
DeleteLearning takes place where you find it.
Grace and peace.