Light for the JourneySample

Plummeting Plum

I’m one of those picky eaters, the kind that loves what she loves and doesn’t stray too far from her favorites. And one of my all-time favorite fruits? A perfectly ripe, sweet red plum. Not the sour kind that tricks you into puckering your whole face, but the juicy, just-right kind that wakes up all your senses with the first bite.

Recently, my husband hit the jackpot at Costco. He came home with a bag of sweet plums; I was convinced they’d been handpicked by angels. Naturally, as I packed for a ministry trip, I slid a few of those heavenly plums into my bag. I snacked on them along the way, but I saved one, the best one, for breakfast the next morning before a long day of conference sessions.

So, there I was, seated in the conference hall, early and excited. My stomach was growling, my mouth was watering, and my heart was full of anticipation. I reached into my bag, pulled out the sacred plum, smiled like a kid on Christmas morning, and then…

DISASTER.

The plum slipped from my hand, plummeted to the floor (like a fruit that lost its faith), and rolled under several chairs in the conference hall.

Now, some of you might be saying, “That’s gross. Let it go.”

But not me. I was on a mission. I needed that plum like I needed oxygen.

“Excuse me,” I said, crawling around like a toddler on a sugar rush. “My plum made a run for it. Can you check under your chair?”

Three rows of ladies looked at me like I was on a fruity treasure hunt, but I didn’t care. I was committed. Finally, one kind woman called out, “Here it is! And I’ve got some sanitizer!”

Bless her sweet, germ-conscious soul.

I took the plum and sat back down in victory… only to pause. I had it, but suddenly it didn’t look so appealing anymore. It had taken a journey. It had rolled through the conference carpet wilderness and picked up a few questionable particles. I sighed. I’d found it, but it felt too messy to enjoy.

Bummer.

And right then, God dropped a more profound thought in my heart:

“Just like you went all out to find your plum, I go all out to find my lost sheep.

Folks, this is the Gospel.

Jesus doesn’t care how far we’ve fallen. He doesn’t mind crawling through our mess. He’s not afraid of where we’ve rolled or what kind of conference carpet we’ve picked up along the way. He just wants us back.

Luke 15:4 (NIV) says:

“Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it?”

That’s the kind of relentless love our Savior has for us. A love that searches, reaches, and redeems, even when we’re rolling in the wrong direction.

Prayer

Jesus, thank You for chasing after me, even when I’ve fallen and rolled through places I shouldn’t have been. Your love finds me in my mess and never lets go. Remind me today that I am never too lost, bruised, or far gone for Your redeeming grace. Help me receive Your love with open hands and a grateful heart. In Your name, Amen.

Reflection:

1. Have you ever felt like you’ve fallen too far or gotten too messy for Jesus to care?

2. What would it look like today to believe He’s still coming after you, plum bruises and all?