Are You a December Watermelon?

Don't you just love a ripe, sweet, juicy watermelon on a hot summer day? Living in Georgia, we have TONS of watermelons here in the hot summer months. It is a wonderful thing on the 4th of July, at a cook out, pool party, or any day "just because". I love to cut into the smooth green rind, hearing the thick striped skin split and crack as my knife goes in. A few wiggles of the blade and the melon bursts in half, exposing the beautiful red flesh inside and spilling it's sweet sticky juice onto the table. A few more hacks with the knife and it is in wedges or cut up into chunks, ready for eating. Nothing beats a happy child eagerly sinking their teeth into this sweet, delicious summertime staple.

So what happens when you crave that delicious goodness in December? A quick trip to most grocery stores shows you that watermelons are usually available year round, shipped in from somewhere on the other side of the world, usually teeny in size and big in price. Sometimes I can't help myself. I break down and buy the melon (don't even bother thumping or sniffing or tapping it, it won't tell you anything at this point) and take it home. Drooling with anticipation, I cut into it. A stab with the knife reveals no splitting rind, and I have to saw the fruit in half. The inside is a disappointing pale pink, with flat, sickly looking white seeds. I hack it into wedges or pieces, throw on some salt, and take a bite.

HUGE disappointment.  I knew better than to think I could experience that sweet perfection of a ripe south Georgia watermelon in DECEMBER!!!!!

Well, this little analogy also applies to our Christian life. You see, we all have seasons in our walk. Some seasons last a while, while others are very brief. God moves us from season to season, using us for His glory and purpose.

So what happens when we follow God's command and we do what He tells us, say teaching a class or serving on a ministry team, and we fall into a comfort zone so that we decide to stay there no matter what? God will tell us to move when He is ready, but often we resist out of that security in a certain job or position. Eventually, we begin to grow tired and stale in this capacity, and in time even grow resentful and grouchy. Finally, when we are so miserable we can't stand it, we step down or in some cases get "moved" because we have lost our effectiveness and the Kingdom begins to suffer for it.

We become a December watermelon.
Tasteless, unsatisfying, and bitter.


But when we serve a season at our fullest, listening for God's direction and urgings, we move from season to season, being satisfied in our work and effective in our mission for Christ. It's no different that pumpkins in October, strawberries in March, citrus fruit in December, and even a watermelon in July. We are best in our appointed season, and no other time.

Watermelon photo from Google images