A little fruit for your stocking

Did you get fruit in your stocking for Christmas when you were a kid? Well, here’s a little fruit for your stocking to help prepare your heart for Christmas.

I always teased my sister that my stocking was bigger. It was, but it didn’t really matter because the contents were identical. Mom probably counted each orange, apple, candy cane, along with every almond, hazel nut and brazil nut. Cracking them was as much fun as eating them.

Since I grew up with fruit in my stocking, I carried on the tradition for my own kids, but I cheated. We didn’t have metal nutcracker, so I focused on the fruit. Being a bit thrifty, but not very sneaky, I recycled the fruit they got in their stockings at the grandparent’s house and stocked the stocking at home with recycled fruit. Come on, how many apples and oranges can two kids eat before they spoil?

The Spirit of Christmas

As I think about the true spirit of Christmas, I think back to fruit. After all, Christmas is a time to reflect on the ultimate gift, the undeserved gift of Messiah.

So what does that have to do with fruit?

Wait for it…

That’s what Simeon and Anna did for years; they waited.

Read about it in Luke chapter two. It’s right there in the Christmas story. Much less familiar than the angels and shepherds and wisemen.

At the end of the book of Luke in chapter 24, (and I like the KJV here) Jesus told the disciples, “And behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.”

In other words, Jesus said wait. Wait for the power of the Holy Spirit.

Now the wait is over

If we are in Christ, we have the gift of the Holy Spirit. And guess what? It’s FRUIT!

So if you’re looking for the Spirit of Christmas, forget about citrus and stuff your stocking with the fruit of the Spirit:
“But the fruit if the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.” Galatians 5:22-23

There are 10 days left until Christmas. How about focusing on a fruit a day until we celebrate the day of Jesus’ birth!

A little fruit for your stocking