Bad Apples & Good Fruit

“Justin!” Jessie called. “Come help me.” Justin came, weaving in and out of the apple trees, carrying his basket. The two friends had come to the apple orchard to pick apples with Justin’s mom and his sister, Ellie.

“I can’t reach it either,” Justin said, peering up at an apple dangling from a low branch. “I can lift you up so you can grab it.”

“Okay,” said Jessie. Justin held Jessie around her middle and hefted her up.

“Can you reach it?” Justin asked breathlessly. “Hurry up, you’re heavy,” he grunted.

“Just a sec,” Jessie replied. She stretched her fingers out. “A little higher.”

Justin took a deep breath and boosted Jessie up another inch. “How’s that?”

“Got it!” said Jessie. Then suddenly, she felt herself falling. “Wahhh!”

Justin and Jessie tumbled to the ground and landed in the leaves. Justin turned over and straightened his jacket. He put his hand in his pocket and felt something squishy. “Eww! Gross!” he said, pulling out a rotten apple.

“Yuck!” Jessie exclaimed as she wiped off her coat. “I’m glad I didn’t land in any rotten apples,” she said, turning to pick up her basket.

Justin laughed. “Oh, yes, you did!” he said. “There’s squished apple goo on your backside.”

“What?!” Jessie gasped and wiped at her pants. “That’s disgusting!” Jessie made a face.

“Oh well,” Justin said. “I guess with so many trees around, there’s gonna be some bad apples. But look at all the sweet ones we’ve found. Let’s go show my mom.” Justin helped Jessie lift her basket then lifted his own.

The two friends wandered through the apple trees toward the area where Justin’s mom was picking fruit. As they came closer, they could hear his little sister saying, “No! I don’ wanna.”

Justin and Jessie could see Ellie standing with her arms crossed near a basket of apples. “What’s wrong, Mom?” asked Justin.

“Oh, hello,” Mom replied. “Ellie’s being stubborn—and disobedient. But how are you two doing?” She walked over and peered into their baskets. “Hey! Those apples look good. Your mom will be able to bake lots of yummy pies, Jessie.”

“I don’ like pie,” said Ellie with a frown. “I want applesauce.”

“Don’t be silly, Ellie,” said Justin. “Everyone likes pie, and you ate a whole piece of pie all by yourself last time.”

Ellie shook her head. “Uh-uh. I want applesauce, no pie.” Then she stomped her foot.

“Well,” said Mom pointing her finger at Ellie, “you’re not going to get anything if you keep talking like that.” Mom went back to picking fruit while Ellie stood by the basket, sulking.

“Hey, Ellie,” said Jessie. “You can help me pick up some of these nice apples on the ground.”

“That’s a good idea,” Mom agreed.

“Don’ wanna,” Ellie whined.

“Those would be good for applesauce,” said Justin. “You just said you wanted applesauce.”

Ellie finally gave in—sort of. She trudged around with her shoulders slumped, kicking at the apples on the ground.

“That’s not very helpful, Ellie,” Justin remarked. “There’s a good one.” Justin pointed to a nice firm apple on the ground for Ellie to pick up. Instead, she picked up an apple with soft brown spots all over it.

“Ick, I don’t think you want that one,” said Jessie.

“I do, too,” Ellie said grumpily and put the spotty apple into the basket.

Jessie looked at Justin, who shrugged and rolled his eyes. Soon all the baskets were full, and everyone stopped for a picnic lunch.

Mom laid a blanket on the ground and passed out sandwiches to the kids. Then they each got to choose one apple for their dessert. Jessie found a shiny red apple and bit into it.

“Thish ish sho good!” she said, slurping the juicy fruit.

“Mine is, too.” Justin wiped his chin. “Where’s yours, Ellie?” he asked.

Ellie walked to the basket where she had collected apples. She poked around at the fruit and finally chose the spotted apple she found earlier then sat back down. Just as she put the apple to her lips, Mom shouted, “Ellie, wait—!”

But it was too late. Ellie bit into the apple and smiled as she chewed. But her smile soon changed to a grimace, then to a frown, and finally, she let out a holler, “Dere’s a worm in my apple!!”

“Here, spit it out,” Mom said, holding a napkin to Ellie’s mouth. “That didn’t taste good, did it?”

Ellie shook her head. “No, it was disgusting.”

Jessie and Justin smiled, trying not to laugh.

“That’s because it was bad fruit. Did it make you feel good?” Mom asked.

“No, I didn't like it,” Ellie replied.

“Did you know Jesus said we have fruit, too? Our fruit is the words we say and the things we do. When you were arguing with me and disobeying, you were feeding me bad fruit. Do you think that made me feel good?” Mom asked.

“No, Mommy,” Ellie replied. “I sorry.”

“But I love the good fruit you give me like obeying and talking nicely and giving me hugs and kisses,” Mom said.

“Okay!” Ellie smiled. “Here’s a gweat big apple for you!” She reached out her arms and dove onto her mom’s lap, giving her a huge hug.

Mom smiled. “Ah! Now that’s the fruit I like.”

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