My Mother and Her Apple Tree

My Mother and Her Apple Tree

 “And His mercy is on those who fear Him from generation to generation.”

  Luke 1:50

            My mother was a wonderful Christian woman who loved the Lord and prayed for her children and grandchildren.  So were my grandmother and my great-grandmother all the way back to my great-great grandparents who fled Scotland for America because they were Christians.  I know my mother’s prayers which eventually drew me to give my life to Jesus in 1979.

You see, the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, meaning that each of us have some characteristics of our parents and grandparents.  We pick up things that our parents did or said.  I see many things in my own children that they inherited from me and my mother.

My daughter, Sheryl Ann ministers to so many women, listens to struggles and prays with them. Her life is in the church.  She not only has the music ministry; leading the church in praise and worship, but teaches Sunday school and Bible studies. Women are drawn to her. My mother was always involved with the women’s ministry at our little Presbyterian church in the town where we lived.  She led Bible Studies and taught Sunday school.  Countless women were ministered to not only at her church, but at her little kitchen table and on the phone.  She was the first woman elder in her church and a deaconess for many years.  She also sang in the choir for years.  The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.

Daughter, Debby is a woman of the Word; a Worshiper and Prayer Warrior. She takes the time to pray and searches out the depths of God’s Word.  She has a beautiful voice and is a Psalmist, singing words of encouragement and hope. I don’t think a day went by when my mother didn’t read her devotional and look up all the scriptures in her Bible.  She would mark and underline as she studied the Word.  She was truly a prayer warrior and a worshiper. The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.

My youngest daughter, Cindy has a heart of compassion that draws the sorrowing and ministers to the needy with songs of hope.  She has a heart for the youth.  If someone has a need she will try her best to take care of it, not only by sharing prayers and tears, but also by providing food.  I can still see my mother filling her basket with cookies and a thermos of tea along with a card or little devotional and head out to visit someone who was a shut-in or had been ill.  Her heart went out to the hurting and she shared their sorrow.  She also loved the youth and led a youth group for many years. The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.

Jim, the youngest in our family, is a man of God with a heart so much bigger than any of you know, because he is the ‘tough guy’ on the outside.  I’ve seen his tears over a troubled youth or even a touching movie.  This characteristic of sensitivity is what makes him a great Christian Psychologist.  He is gifted with the ability to speak, teach and preach, not to mention his singing voice which is so anointed.  My mother was also gifted; she could stand up and give an eloquent message at any given moment.  I’m sure she could have preached very well if given the opportunity.  She also cried at sad movies, Jim.  The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.

I also have some of my mother’s characteristics such as writing stories and poems. She was one of the most grateful persons I have ever known.  I feel the same way; always thanking the Lord for even small things.  I know for sure I learned from her such strong love for my children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.  They mean everything to me and I am so proud of the wonderful adults they have become.  I have been serving Jesus for many years and I am so blessed and grateful to watch them continue to grow in the Lord and become servants of God. What more could I desire of God?

            I’m sure my children picked up some traits from me.  However, the most important characteristic for anyone to pick up, is their belief and trust in our heavenly Father.  Yes, “from generation to generation.”  In other words, the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.

As a mother and grandmother, it is my Christian responsibility to not only teach our children and grandchildren, but to live and walk in the spirit of our Lord.  They may not remember what you say, but they will surely remember what you do. 

Are you an apple tree?  This is what you should be producing. Galatians 5:22-25  “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.” Perhaps you have been walking in the Spirit and you don’t see any fruit developing, but wait,  some fruit takes a long, long time to develop – don’t give up.  With God all things are possible. 

In the opposite direction, when Adam and Eve ate of the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden; when they sinned it is not surprising their next generation also sinned.  That sin was murder when their son, Cain, killed their other son, Abel. The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, does it?

Moving further along, Isaac had two sons, Jacob and Esau.  Jacob became the nation of Israel and Esau the nation of Edom.  The Edomites worshiped the gods of Baal and Ashterath. When Nebuchadnezzar attacked Israel and took many Jews as their slaves, the Edomites sided with Nebuchadnezzar and took part in the slaughter of many Israelites.  With Esau’s descendants, the apple surely didn’t fall far from the tree.

On the other hand, if you have rotten apples, that’s a different story.  All it takes is one rotten apple to spoil a whole barrel full.  This proves to be true for many generations of those who do not serve God.  We need to be producers of good fruit so we can say with joy, “Yes, the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.”

Luke 1:50 “And His mercy is on those who fear Him From generation to generation.”  How much do we really fear the Lord?  If we do, I believe we would consider more carefully our actions and attitudes.  It isn’t too late to produce better fruit.  I was 45 years old when I asked Jesus into my heart and made the decision to serve him the rest of my life.  My life changed; I’m not the same person I was.  In fact I look back and wonder who that awful person was. 

Only by the grace of God have my children become who they are today, because I wasn’t the greatest example for them.  I must say I always had a longing to know the Lord more.  But when I accepted Jesus as my Savior, I put their names on a bulletin board and laid hands on them praying daily.  The other thing was they saw such a change in me. 

It happened almost overnight and was a shock to their system.  However, within the year they were all saved and serving Jesus.  Who you really are makes a difference. I haven’t arrived yet; I’m still working on my walk with the Lord, but I’m trying.  If I take a step or so backwards, I stop and then begin again.  Don’t just say, “Oh this is the way I am, I can’t change”.  The time for excuses is over; it’s time to stand up, toe to the line and run the race. Don’t look back because you won’t run a straight line, but keep your eyes on Jesus.

If you don’t know Jesus or if you want to recommit your life to him, now is the time.  If you struggle to have a closer walk with Him; if you want to change who you are right now and become a better example to the generations to come, you need prayer.  Can you proudly say, “The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree?”

Every mother has that life manual – the Bible.  It gives you instruction in all things.  I know you don’t want your children or grandchildren lost to the evil one.  It is time, mothers, to not just believe in God, but to live for him.  It is time for you to declare that “you are an Apple Tree” so others can say about your family, “The Apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.”