Unripe and plastic fruit - Part 1 of 2

Green bananas not only taste terrible but they feel terrible as you chew them! The reason is simple. They haven't ripened yet to the enjoyable yellow, softer, sweeter, good-to-eat state. There is a proper time to eat a banana.

Likewise, there is a proper time and a proper process for the formation and outward expression of "fruit" in the life of a Christian - but yet I've seen all too many examples of Christians who seem to be in a rush to produce fruit and to get others to produce fruit. Check out the post Unripe Grapes from Following Him Alone last week. That post, along with my meeting with a pastor the other day, as well as some other things I've felt the Lord whispering to my heart lately, has brought about the desire to post this blog.

The pastor, by the way, is someone who I love dearly. He's the pastor of the church my family has been a part of for almost nine years. As some of you know, I haven't been attending for over a year, for various reasons, but I still love the people and I was very touched when the pastor called me out of the blue a few weeks ago to say he missed seeing me and wanted to get together. When we finally got together last week we talked about many things (many agreements as well as disagreements), most of which I won't get into here, but part of our conversation relates to this post.

It has to do with the constant preaching of principles and methods, and always trying to get people to go out and do, do, do. Yes, we want to "do" as Christians! But my concern is that the principles- and performance-based teachings don't actually help Christians in the way that's intended, but rather can cause harm. I'll explain what I mean and you can agree or disagree with me.

In my case I've found that the constant preaching of methods and principles (the "how to's" of the Christian life) end up jamming me. My heart, which is indwelled by the Spirit of Jesus and is complete in Him, longs to express itself in love in so many ways, but quite frankly when all I hear is a bombardment of principles being taught all the time, I become overwhelmed because I simply can't keep up with it all. I need time to grow naturally, not hurriedly or under the impatient lead of performance-based teachers and preachers, of which there is no shortage. I've found that when I've sincerely tried to live by the teachings of principles, the "fruit" that has generally come (if any) has ended up unripe - that is, underdeveloped and not fully formed. And the sad things is, I've found that the church will still accept it, most of the time, because at least it shows that I'm "doing" something. But it ain't right.

Since this is getting long, I'll make it a two-parter. In the next part I'll talk about a second problem I see, and I'll take a look at some solutions as well!