Matthew 7:16 You will know them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thorns, or figs from thistles? [Revised Standard translation]
Luke 6:43-44 “No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. Each tree is recognized by its own fruit. People do not pick figs from thornbushes, or grapes from briers….” [New International translation]
Summary
JESUS spoke and taught in parables. HE used simple stories to illustrate a spiritual or moral lesson.
Parables cause one to use our “inner” nature. For example, parables generally evoke a visual picture “in our mind’s eye.” There is usually a story, with characters or familiar objects that we can visualize. Like snowflakes, no two visual pictures are the same. Each of us brings his/her own life experiences to visualizing the parable. Past experiences serve as a backdrop to what we “see” or “do not see.” One person’s “fruit” tree may be different from another’s; one may “see” oranges while another may envision apples. What each of us brings to the parable, in terms of our “physical” and “spiritual” experiences, may vary.
Second, there are usually “layers” to a parable. They cause the hearer to think and ask questions. Some of the questions a hearer might ask include the following: 1) What lesson or message is JESUS conveying with this story? 2) Is HE talking to me or is HE talking to someone else? 3) Is the parable a warning and, if so, to whom? 4) What is the warning? 5) What is the solution? 6) What does JESUS want me to do or stop doing? 7) Did I really get the “full meaning” of the lesson JESUS wants me to learn?
Third, parables often make hearers feel uncomfortable and exposed. They often cause the hearer to start to conduct an internal examination, trying to determine which “side” of the parable they fit---the “good side” or the “bad side.” For example, in the above parable, the hearer may ask: 1) What kind of “tree” am I? 2) Am I bearing good fruit or bad fruit? 3) Am I bearing any fruit at all? 4) Is my “fruit” the “right kind of fruit” or just thistles or thorns? 5) If I am not a good tree or bearing good fruit, what will happen to me? Will JESUS “chop” me down?
The impact of a parable may vary. Like a puzzle, some hearers may find their hearts, minds and souls fervently grappling with the parable, searching for its inner meaning, like a person struggling to solve a cross word puzzle, going over and over the clues in the mind. Some hearers will just ignore the parable and continue on with life as if JESUS never said a thing. Others may be “convicted” and pray that the MASTER TEACHER show them the way, the truth and the light.
ORANGES
Known for their orange color, oranges are one of the world’s most popular fruit. Oranges are known, in particular, for their high vitamin C content. But as the following chart shows, while Vitamin C is the highest nutrient in an orange, there are other nutrients in oranges that add to oranges being an excellent food source:
| Oranges (Citrus sinensis), Fresh, Nutritive Value per 100 g. Total-ORAC- 1819 µmol TE/100 g. (Source: USDA National Nutrient data base) |
||
| Principle | Nutrient Value | Percentage of RDA |
| Energy | 47 Kcal | 2.5% |
| Carbohydrates | 11.75 g | 9% |
| Protein | 0.94 g | 1.5% |
| Total Fat | 0.12 g | 0.5% |
| Cholesterol | 0 mg | 0% |
| Dietary Fiber | 2.40 g | 6% |
| Vitamins | ||
| Folates | 30 µg | 7.5% |
| Niacin | 0.282 mg | 2% |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.250 mg | 5% |
| Pyridoxine | 0.060 mg | 4.5% |
| Riboflavin | 0.040 mg | 3% |
| Thiamin | 0.100 mg | 8% |
| Vitamin C | 53.2 mg | 90% |
| Vitamin A | 225 IU | 7.5% |
| Vitamin E | 0.18 mg | 1% |
| Vitamin K | 0 µg | 0% |
| Electrolytes | ||
| Sodium | 0 mg | 0% |
| Potassium | 169 mg | 3.5% |
| Minerals | ||
| Calcium | 40 mg | 4% |
| Copper | 39 µg | 4% |
| Iron | 0.10 mg | 1% |
| Magnesium | 10 mg | 2.5% |
| Manganese | 0.024 mg | 1% |
| Zinc | 0.08 mg | 1% |
| Phyto-nutrients | ||
| Carotene-β | 71 µg | -- |
| Carotene-α | 11 µg | -- |
| Crypto-xanthin-β | 116 µg | -- |
| Lutein-zeaxanthin | 129 µg | -- |
| Lycopene | 0 µg | -- |
See, www.nutrition-and-you.com/orange-fruit.html. Discussing the nutritional value of oranges, Whfoods.org noted in one large study reviewed in a Commonwealth Industrial Research report that one extra serving of fruits and vegetables a day reduced the risk of stroke by 4%. Additionally, by consuming one extra serving of citrus fruit a day, the reduced risk of stroke was an increased by 5-6 times, reaching a 19% reduction.
WebMD notes that some researchers believe that because oranges have a high amount of Vitamin C antioxidant activity, oranges can be helpful to people with asthma. Oranges also have large amounts of potassium. WebMD notes that there is evidence that potassium in oranges may help prevent high blood pressure and stroke. In addition, oranges prevent kidney stones because they contain large amount of a citrate, a chemical which tends to bind with calcium before it can form kidney stones. Oranges are also a good source of fiber, which has been associated with keeping blood sugar under control. This may account for why oranges are listed as a diabetes friendly food. See, “Stock Your Kitchen for Diabetes Health,” by Jeanie Lerche David, reviewed by Brunilda Narario, MD.
Because oranges are one of the foods where residual evidence of pesticides can be found [e.g. apples are listed as #1, tangerines as #20 and oranges as #31 on the Environmental Working Group’s Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in produce], it is always wise to wash all fruit in cool water before consuming it. WhFoods.org recommends buying organic to avoid pesticides. In any case, it is always best to rinse and clean the outside of an orange, especially if you intend to use the peal for orange zest in a recipe. Also, examine the outside the orange for soft spots and mold.
Fresh Oranges vs. Orange Juice Drinks
Consuming a glass or carton of orange drink is not the same as consuming a fresh orange or drinking orange juice. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) mandates that to be labeled a fruit juice a product must contain 100% fruit juice. If the juice is reconstituted from concentrate, the water has been removed from the fruit, so that there is less water for packaging. Such products must bear the label “concentrate” on them. Beverages which are less than 100% fruit juice must be listed as a juice “drink,” “beverage,” or “cocktail.” Juice drinks may contain between 10% to 99% juice and often have added sweeteners (sugar), flavors and sometimes fortifiers such as Vitamin C or calcium. These products are listed on the label, so it is important to read the labels, especially if you want to monitor your sugar intake. Moreover, because fruit juice tends not to contain any pulp or fiber, fruit juice contains no nutritional advantage over a piece of orange fruit. Because of the added sweeteners, fruit juice is often less nutritious.
A major concern of the American Academy of Pediatrics is the large consumption of juice by children. The Academy does not recommend giving children under the age of 6 months juice.
It is prudent to give juice only to infants who can drink from a cup (approximately 6 months or older). Teeth begin to erupt at approximately 6 months of age. Dental caries have also been associated with juice consumption.39 Prolonged exposure of the teeth to the sugars in juice is a major contributing factor to dental caries. The AAP and the American Academy of Pedodontics recommendations state that juice should be offered to infants in a cup, not a bottle, and that infants not be put to bed with a bottle in their mouth.40 The practice of allowing children to carry a bottle, cup, or box of juice around throughout the day leads to excessive exposure of the teeth to carbohydrate, which promotes development of dental caries.
See, “The Use and Misuse of Fruit Juice in Pediatrics,” by the Committee on Nutrition. The Committee also notes that a child or infant also should not be allowed to sip juice throughout the day or offered juice as a means to pacify them.
The Pediatric Committee on Nutrition recommends that when they are old enough, infants can be encouraged to consume proper quantities of whole fruits that can be mashed or pureed. Parents should consult with their pediatrician regarding how to introduce new foods, which are sometimes introduced one at time, into an infant or child’s diet.
According to the Pediatric Committee on Nutrition, juice drinks, like soda, can contribute to energy imbalance, diarrhea, over-nutrition or under-nutrition or the development of dental problems in toddlers and young children. Id. Parents concerned about the nutritional needs of an infant, toddler or child should always consult their pediatrician.
Food For Thought and Prayer
Today, pay attention to the fruit you eat and any juices you drink. If you grocery shop, be sure to read the labels of any juices you buy. If you have children, ask them to tell you what fruit, juice or drinks they consume. You may also want to inquire about their school lunch program and what fresh fruits were offered today at school.
Meditate on the parable. Pray that JESUS open our hearts and minds and we, in turn, open our minds and hearts to HIM and HIS teachings. Let us strive to be “grafted” in HIM, “THE TRUE VINE” so that we can be fruitful and live. [John 15:1-2]
Have a fruitful raw foods day and BE BLESSED!
