Judging Grapes

“If we believe in Jesus, it is not what we gain, but what he pours through us that counts.  It is not that God makes us beautifully rounded grapes, but that He squeezes the sweetness out of us.”  Oswald Chambers – My Utmost for His Highest

This caught my eye today because of the “rounded grape” reference.  I was in the store recently, in the produce section looking for some green grapes.  The only problem was that the ones that had available were oddly shaped.  They were not the “rounded grapes” Chambers writes of.  Rather, they had a very odd, oblong shape, a shape difficult to describe because I can’t think of anything quite like it.  The best I can do is to say that it was as if someone took each round grape and elongated it so that it looked something like a peanut.  Being the only grapes available, reluctantly because they did not meet my idea of a grape, I bought some, took them home, washed them, and stuck them in the refrigerator.  When I got around to eating them, they tasted just fine – like  grapes, but really good grapes.

As Chambers notes: “It is not that God makes us beautifully rounded grapes….”  No, we come in all shapes, sizes, and colors.  But really, those distinctions don’t matter.  Let’s face it, it was just plain silly for me to judge a grape by its shape.  Same with people.  Which brings to mind the Bo Diddley tune that has little bearing on this, but is a great listen:

You can’t judge an apple by looking at a tree,
You can’t judge honey by looking at the bee,
You can’t judge a daughter by looking at the mother,
You can’t judge a book by looking at the cover.

Oh can’t you see,
Oh you misjudge me,
I look like a farmer,
But I’m a lover,
You can’t judge a book by looking at the cover.