What I Learned From a Fruitcake.

Zechariah 9:9 (NIV)

Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion!

    Shout, Daughter Jerusalem!

See, your king comes to you,

    righteous and victorious,

lowly and riding on a donkey,

    on a colt, the foal of a donkey.

As we get ready for Christmas in my household by making Christmas goodies for family and friends I think back to the many goodies my dad would make each year.  To this day I use many of those recipes.  As I was thinking about all the goodies one of them that came to mind was the fruitcake, I thought about how many people seem to roll their eyes at or complain about the fruitcake. As you read on maybe your idea of the fruitcake will change for the better like it did for me.

Attached to a fruitcake was the following note.

'The humble fruitcake is a dessert that, like the followers of our savior Jesus Christ, is often despised despite its sweet nature. It is unfortunate, however, that so many feel this way, because in reality, a fruitcake is very similar to any of the human beings on God's green earth.

The brown cake is our flesh, which was originally wrought by god's hands from the dust. Though it is sometimes bitter, it is moist and thick, symbolizing the labor and blood of human existence.

The nuts are little crunchy bits of sin that exist in all of us, since, like the fruitcake, we are made with sin inside of us, and only a higher power can take it out of us - provided we (or the fruitcake) let Him.

The bright fruits represent the joys of life that God gives us to uplift us, like flowers, babies, and puppies. The red cherries are especially important, because they represent the blood Jesus Christ shed to free us from sin.

The entire fruitcake is baked until it has a firm crust, similar to our skin, but possibly more similar to the shield that many place between themselves and God. As we do with the fruitcake, God needs to cut off a slice of us before the meaty insides and beautiful, tasty fruits are exposed to Him. Some people are baked too long, and as a result are impervious to God's love, so their tough skin and blinded minds eventually lead them to eternal suffering in hell, just as many an overdone fruitcakes are subjected to the trash can, garbage disposal or family dog.

So, next time you see or receive a fruitcake, don't cast it aside with scorn - where would we be if God had done that to us? Instead, enjoy the fruitcake, share it with your friends and family, and remember what it represents - not only us, but the Lord Jesus Christ, whose birth is not only the sole, undisputed reason for Christmas, but also the reason that we have fruitcakes today.'

As I finished reading the note a tear trickled down my cheek. We find ourselves rushing through Christmas like it is a chore; we have forgotten the real meaning behind it all. We need to let the Christmas joy began to bloom in our hearts.  Let us never look at a fruitcake or Christmas is the same way again

Dear Lord, we pray that we would not get to busy that it takes away from the true meaning of Christmas. Help us remember all that You did for us that first Christmas day. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.