We have a lemon tree in our backyard that is absolutely amazing. It produces large yellow-orange lemons pretty much all year round. There are times when the branches are so loaded that we must support them lest they break. Then, when the rains stop and the dry season starts, the leaves turn brown and roll themselves up, going into a type of hibernation. Yet we still find lemons. Higher up, where the children can’t reach, and not quite as many. But if we want lemon juice for lemonade, lemon cake or some other dish, we never lack.

I want to be like this lemon tree. As Christians, we are called to bear fruit. As missionaries, we want to see the results of our work. And there are times when the harvest is plentiful, and the work brings us much joy. But we have to admit that, at times, things kind of dry up. Maybe we are running on a low battery. Maybe we are meeting a lot of resistance. Maybe some circumstances out of our control are slowing down our activities. Whatever the reason, I pray that even during those times, I would still bear fruit, at least a few, just like our lemon tree. That is my prayer for you, too.

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