Within Four Hours

By Jerry Mack Grubbs
 
The scriptures suggest that it is by our fruit that we are known. Before a ripe fruit is plucked from the vine much effort has proceeded that day. There had to first be a preparing of the soil, a sowing of the seed, nurturing of the tender plant and many other acts of labor prior to the enjoyment of the fruit.

Fruit comes in many flavors, sizes and shapes, most of which I have tasted on occasion. In almost all cases, a flower precedes the development of the fruit. Just like fruit, flowers come in all colors, sizes and shapes also. These flowers make up the beautiful bouquets of our lives.

Most women have received a bouquet of flowers at some time in their life. The sound of the door bell caught my wife Kaye's attention. As she opened the door a beautiful bouquet was thrust into her hands with the delivery man hurriedly making sure he was at the Grubbs' residence.  What was interesting was that from a distance the bouquet looked like flowers but up close, everything was carved from fruit. What a treat. It was beautiful to look at and wonderful to the taste.

But what was even better was reflecting on the friendship of the one who sent the bouquet. This bouquet was an outward expression of an inner feeling. Over the years I have enjoyed the fruit of the labors of so many others. As my family sat around the table and plucked and ate the flower carved fruit from the bouquet, I thought of how fortunate I am. Thoughtful friends often go out of their way to share a tender feeling of the heart or perform a special act of kindness such as this bouquet of fruit.

Attached to a ribbon on the bouquet was a little note that said, "Best when consumed within four hours." I thought about that little suggestion. Often we receive promptings to perform an act of kindness or express our appreciation in a note. Attached to each of those feelings should be the admonition, "Follow your heart within four hours." When we don't heed the promptings, when we don't act on the feeling, that feeling begins to subside and soon it is nothing more than something we wished we had done.