Emerald G. Parsons
A little over a year ago, during the Presidential debates, Presidential Candidate Ben Carson said something out of the ordinary.
“ …. And as President, I would go and look at what a person’s life has been. What have they done in the past? What kind of judgements have they made? What kind of associations do they have? That will tell you a lot more than an interview will tell you. The fruit salad of their life is what I would look at.”
The Fruit Salad of Their Life …
That one statement had some people pondering the meaning and had others lashing out with stupid jokes all over social media.
However, after the debate, Carson explained to the news media what he meant. “There’s a verse in the Bible that says, ‘by their fruit, you will know them,’” Carson said. “So, obviously, you know how they live their lives and what it produces; that’s the fruit salad of their life.”
And so it is … Matthew 7:16 says, By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? (New International Version)
That one statement has had a lasting impression on me ever since he said it. That is something we all need to live by. What do people think of your “fruit salad?” How is your “fruit salad” perceived by those that truly know you? Are you one who “walks the walk” or someone who just “talks the talk?”
I once read a poem entitled, “The Dash” that I’ve never forgotten! It explains that on a person’s tombstone there is a birthdate, then a dash, then a death date. Even though society puts so much emphasis on those two dates, the most important thing is actually the dash. For the dash represents all the time we spent on Earth and how we lived our life.
The poem ends by saying:
So, when your eulogy is being read
With your life’s actions to rehash
Would you be proud of the things they say
About how you spent your dash?
So, as we go forth in life living out our dash – we should always remember to pay close attention to what our Fruit Salad looks like.