FRUIT!

There is this rather insane game on smart phones and Apple’s iPad/iPhone/iPod Touch gizmos: Fruit Ninja. An international hit. One of the top 10 paid apps in more than 60 countries. Since its release in April 2009 it’s been downloaded over six million times (that’s “6,000,000”). At $0.99 per app download, that’s a cool $6,000,000 that its three creators have made ($5,940,000 to be exact!). Of course, Apple and Android have probably taken a cut of that nice sum.

All kinds of fruit appear on the scene—melons, kiwis, bananas, oranges, apples, …. The player’s task is to swipe at them with a finger, which functions as a sword. A satisfying squelch—the exact species of “squelchy sound” depends on the fruit being assaulted—and a splash of fruit innards on the background signifies a successful chop. And one gets points for each triumphant thrust. All of this comes in color, haloes following every movement of the ninja’s sword/finger. Very nice.

And addictive.

The dangerous element in this captivating game is that instead of fruit, one might be surprised by bombs; those deadly incendiaries may be hidden amongst a deluge of fruit. If your sword hits one of these bad dudes, the game is over. So it’s all a matter of reflexes and finger dexterity, the goal being to slice the fruit, not set off the bomb.

Fruit Ninja. Not bad at all.

But I look with snobbish superior disdain upon this wanton destruction of fruit! (Not that I am a major consumer of the same, except for the odd banana, as in banana split, banana pudding, etc.)

No, my distaste for fruit-destruction comes from the divine commandment mandating fruit-production.

Nope, I’m not growing fruit trees on my terrace. Nope, I ain’t puttering around with soil and manure and stuff.

God’s interest is in the metaphorical kind of fruit Christians ought to produce.

We’re talking fruit-production ninjas!

How blessed is the one
who does not walk
in the counsel of the wicked,
nor stand in the path of sinners,
nor sit in the seat of scoffers!
But his delight is in
the law of the LORD,
and in His law he meditates
day and night.
He will be like a tree planted
by streams of water,
which yields its fruit in its season,
and its leaf does not wither;
and in whatever he does, he prospers.
Psalm 1:1–3

I’m trying.

There is an element of effort in this, though God promises us that it is His Holy Spirit that is producing the fruit.

But the fruit of the Spirit is
love, joy, peace, patience,
kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
gentleness, self-control.
Galatians 5:22–23

Here’s the divine work:

“I [Jesus] am the vine,
you are the branches;
he who abides in Me and I in him,
he bears much fruit,
for apart from Me
you can do nothing.”
John 15:5

But there’s human effort:

“If you keep My commandments,
you will abide in My love.”
John 15:10

Maybe it’s both!

I planted, Apollos watered,
but God was causing the growth.
1 Corinthians 3:6

In any case, fruit ninjas of a different kind we aim to be, and we pray that we might be …

… so that you will walk
in a manner worthy of the Lord,
to please Him in all respects,
bearing fruit in every good work ….
Colossians 1:10

And through this fruit-bearing, God is exalted.

“My Father is glorified by this,
that you bear much fruit,
and so prove to be
My [Jesus’] disciples.”
John 15:8

Let’s go for those fruit, ninjas!