How Many Oranges?
I live in citrus land. Did you know from the time you plant a little orange tree until it produces the first couple of oranges is at least three to four years?
A sweet lady recently told me she moved here thirty-six years ago. She never thought she would be here more than a couple years. She recalled wanting to plant an orange tree or two when they arrived but didn’t think it would have enough time to bear fruit before she moved on. She never got that tree planted. She asked “How many oranges could I have picked by now?”
It made me think how much we are like that. Is it that we lack faith to think things will turn out like we want? That we don’t want to start and not finish? What holds us back from small orange tree dreams and even those bigger?
“So do not worry, saying ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ “ (Matthew 6:31 NIV) Or ‘Should I plant an orange tree?’.
Just think of all the little things we worry or fret over. Which shirt, what purse? Which restaurant, what time? Not to mention the bigger things – move across country, go on a missions trip, sell a house? I love that just a couple verses later Jesus says: “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” (Matthew 6:34 NIV)
But why does He tell us not to worry? Because He has given us promise upon promise. Long before Jesus walked the earth – even as He set stars in place and breathed life into those first lungs – His promises were for sure and for always.
I like to think I keep my promises. To be a good friend, wife, mother. To get my work done. To help someone in their time of need. Truth is we all fall short on our promises at one time or another. But it’s not that way with our Promiser – “Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful.” (Hebrews 10:23 NIV)
We have to ask ourselves how much time have we wasted with our worrying – how many oranges could we have picked? (Souls touched, love given, friendships forged – if only we had planted the tree.)
parisrenae 
What a wonderful story! Now I am wondering…how many oranges could I have picked? We need to have the confidence to plant those orange trees!
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Laurie – exactly, but we can just look forward and walk in faith knowing that whether we reap the fruit or not, His plan is for our best. Blessings as you sow the seeds 🙂
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OUCH! How much have I missed or lost or not done or not read because I was worried, wasted time, dwelt without Christ in my life, etc., etc. I am going to plant that orange tree now so that I can begin enjoying God’s wonderful fruit. Thank you for a precious lesson, such a basic one to my heart.
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Right there with you – and just as God would want it, it’s often not us who reaps the fruit, but we have so much fun planting it! Blessings as you sow for Jesus…
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What a great thought you have here with the oranges. We may not think we have enough time to pick the oranges off the trees we plant, but we also need to remember that planting that orange tree will bless others, even if we never pick the fruit ourselves. Others will enjoy picking the oranges.
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We are thinking the same – God’s blessings aren’t just for us, but for us to share His abundance. So maybe we don’t see the results, but someone He has in mind surely will. Blessings as you plant for Him!
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Woah! This hit me powerfully! Time to start preparing that soil! Thank you for this encouragement and inspiration!
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Anything done with Jesus in mind is always worth the effort – even when we don’t reap the fruit. Blessings daughter of the Most High as you boldly plant for Him…
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