These are the “too late” tomatoes.
The ones that were still on our vine, at the end of the season, and had stubbornly stayed green until the days became too cool to help them ripen.
Well here’s the thing: I love tomatoes y’all. 🍅
I couldn’t stand the thought of throwing them out with the vine, especially now that we are really watching our grocery bills. I didn’t want ONE to be wasted.
So I went outside and began gathering them, to bring in.
Now my kids are used to me going out in late summer, searching the vine for ripe, red ones and bringing them in for our lunches.
But to see me pick the green ones?
Well it caused them to do a double-take.
“Did you just pick the green tomatoes?” my teen asked me .
“We don’t pick the green ones, Mommy!” the toddler chimed in.
Which is what I’ve told him time and time again:
“We wait until they’re ready, C! Don’t pick Mommy’s green tomatoes. Only the red ones!”
So he was understandably confused.
I’m not sure how much he understood me, but just for the heck of it I explained that this was the end of the garden for the year, and I was bringing in EVERYTHING, to give it a chance to ripen in the indoor warmth before throwing any out.
It’s been about a week, and slowly but surely they’re turning, some of them. See them? They seem to be cluster-ripening, as if it were contagious or something!
And all week I’ve been watching them and hearing God speak into my soul that such are the times that we are in:
The “end of (this earthly) season” draws nearer and nearer each day.
(No matter how long we have or this earth has, each day is one day closer to the end of harvest season.)
Maybe earlier in our lives, or when the times weren’t so chaotic in this world, we could afford to wait a bit longer.
Maybe we would wait to “harvest” (share the gospel in the hopes to bring people in to Him) a bit longer— when we could c.l.e.a.r.l.y see they’re ready! When all signs were like a bright red stop saying saying “Stop here! Come talk to me! I’m ready!”
But these days?
Well those “red tomatoes”- the ones clearly ready- the ones out and knowingly looking for someone to talk to them about Jesus- well maybe it’s just my own perspective, but they seem to be fewer and further between.
Fewer and fewer are growing up in the Church.
Of those in the church, fewer and fewer are taking their faith outside the walls and actually talking about the One who saved and is saving them.
Which means fewer opportunities for people who have never been a part of it all to even hear to begin with…
To me, it seems we are in a “cool” faith climate where the love of many has grown cold. Where the Son’s rays (us, since we are supposed to be extensions of his love) are hitting fewer green tomatoes, so that less are finding the chance to turn red- to get on fire 🔥 for Him!
So these days, I believe that we simply c.a.n.n.o.t. wait for a clearly re(a)d(y) sign.
I really feel like it’s time!
It’s time we start picking ALL the tomatoes!
Start bringing ‘em ALL in!
Start telling every single person who will listen, the Good News about what Jesus has done for us and wants to do for them!
I think it’s time we stop politely persisting, endlessly, in small talk that never gets passed “How’s the weather!“ or “How’s work?“ or “How are the kids doing in sports and school?” or “Where are you going on fall break?”
I think it’s time to “bring it in” and get real, like a coach does before the last quarter when they know the heat is ON!
Dive right past the small talk and get authentic and real and down to the eternal.
Have the faith talks.
Get past the awkward fact that if we open up that kind of talk they may have questions we can’t answer. That’s OK. When questions are asked, we have a place to go searching- the Bible, and we can do so together. It’s an entry point!
Not all we bring in to conversations like this will ripen. Maybe many won’t.
But SOME WILL.
So don’t give up!
The rate of ripening varies from person to person,
but the “bringing them in” is part of the job He has given us!
And when He shows up- I don’t want to explain to Him why I didn’t obey, and left lots of tomatoes out there, green and cold on the vine.
I want to say “I brought them all in, Jesus! As many as I could gather!”
And I want to hear – “Well done, good and faithful servant” ❤️
It’s not our job to ripen, Christian friends.
That’s not in our ability.
But it is our job to bring people in and give them a c.h.a.n.c.e to— like someone did for us!
It’s not too late.
God loves people (even more than I love tomatoes) and He does not want ONE to perish!
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