The Things I see in Nature

It's mango season in Jamaica

There is a popular folk song in Jamaica called 'Mango Time', a line from it goes like this "Mi nuh drink coffee tea, mango time- care how nice it may be-mango time,' translated it simply means, when its mango season, all one wants is mangoes, not even your coffee or tea, regardless of how nice it is. I love mangoes and I have the scar to prove it. In high school, a friend and I were standing under a mango tree when one fell and there was a mad dash to pick it up! I sped off and crashed and burned on my knees-mango-less! Now one would think after that any self respecting 'friend' would concede and give me the mango right? Wrong! I was left with a bleeding knee, mango-less and embarrassed by her laughter ringing in my ear.

Did I mention I loved mangoes? Well years later I couldn't eat mangoes, I just couldn't digest it anymore, I agonized as I watched people enjoying my favourites- East Indian and Julie, I would often force myself to eat it to later suffer the consequences of serious tummy aches. BUT THEN...as mysteriously as the intolerance came, it went and I was back to my mango eating ways and I was a happy camper again. The other day, I was standing under a mango tree much like the one in the photo, laden with mangoes, as well as many rotting on the ground and what came to me was, well...insightful..I thought I would share- THE THINGS I SEE IN NATURE.

Luke 10:2 - Therefore He said unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few:  pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest.

I was in my auntie's yard, she had three huge mango trees, East Indian, Julie and Blackie...my three all time favourites; she only ate East Indian, no one else in the house ate mangoes- people that don't eat mangoes!- they do exist! There were many many mangoes, the branches were full, the ground was full of those that had fallen plop, there were some in plastic bags that were rotting, some on the trees that birds and bats had half eaten and well the mangoes that were 'turn' and the ones that were green. And it hit me- the harvest is ripe but the labourers are few- indeed. I broke it down like this.

The mangoes represent the people of the world that are 'ripe', ready for the 'harvesting', ready for someone to tell them about Jesus's saving grace.

The people that don't eat mangoes (craziness!) are the harvesters who don't follow the great commission (Mathew 28, 16-20) or those that do not evangelize to certain people- 'drug addicts, prostitutes et al'

The mangoes that are half eaten by bats and birds:- There is nothing worse than when you see a nice ripe juicy looking mango on a tree, go to pick it (if you climbed the tree) or bring it down with a stick and realize- its half eaten on one side- totally inedible! Do you know what is the next immediate action? Yes, you swiftly drop it! These mangoes are many of us, who look so good on one side, all meticulously crafted to perfection but close up, there is a part of us that is eaten away by birds (Satan) or a part of us that we allow bitterness, and unforgiveness to eat away. Usually when people see this side of us, they throw us away or swiftly leave.

The mangoes that fall on the ground under the tree are ready for the 'eating', they have a soft spot where they fell, but still, they are basically good and receptive of the word, and they save you the trouble of having to get a stick or having to climb the tree. These are friends, family, church members, you and me.

The mangoes that stay on the ground till they rot and were placed in bags, are the ones that we discard as 'unreachable.' They are so far into the despair of sin that a way out for them seems impossible- to us!

The turn mangoes as we call them are those that are not yet ripe but not green, these can still be eaten, and if you are of Indian descent, well these are perfect, especially if you like 'chow' (an Indian dish where fruits are seasoned with peppers and spices). If you pick these mangoes, they will still ripen, so you can still plant a seed in them and in time they will bear fruit.

The green mangoes are not ready to hear the word, but say it still!

My auntie often calls when she has an abundance of mangoes, she gives away as many as she can, but the crop is just too many for her, but what if there were many harvesters?  What if we, the people of God followed our calling to reach one of these 'mango types?' Green, turn, half eaten, fallen and rotting? What if we went out to harvest for such a time as this? (Esther 4, 13-14)

Acts 2:17
And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God," I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams"


Does nature speak to you? Share with us what it says to you.