She settled into the softness of her warm bed and fell quickly into sleep. She dreamed again of fruit, boxes and boxes of the ripest and tastiest fruit. She had set up a stand on a busy street corner and was offering the fruit for free to anyone who wanted it. She knew there were lots of hungry people, but very few stopped to take what she was giving. When they heard that there was no charge, many said there must be something wrong with it.
“No, it’s the very best fruit you ever tasted” Jessie said.
“I don't believe it” said a man as he walked away empty handed. “There’s nothing good that comes for free.”
“Probably old and rotten” said a pretty middle aged woman in tattered clothes, shaking her head “no” as Jessie extended her hand with a large bunch of grapes. She certainly looked like she could have used the food. “Are you sure?” Jessie asked again. “They're really, really fresh and sweet.”
“What’s the catch?” the woman asked, as did many others as they passed by. “You give this away free and then what?”
“Then nothing” Jessie answered.
“Yeah, right. So what’s in it for you?” Jessie was surprised at just how suspicious people were.
“Nothing in it for me” she said. “I just have all this fruit and I can't eat it all by myself.”
“Then maybe you're just stupid” said a slick looking man in a suit and shiny shoes. “If you have that much, why not sell it, make yourself some good money?”
She found herself answering the same questions over and over again. As darkness fell she had almost as much fruit as when she started.
“What a shame” she thought. “I have so much to give away and no one is interested. I can't possibly take all these boxes home, maybe if I leave them here someone will take some when no one is watching.” She filled one box with a variety of fruits to take with her and left the rest there on the corner. As she was walking away she was stopped by a policeman.
“You can’t leave your garbage out on the street like that Miss.”
“It’s not garbage, it’s good food. I don't understand why no one wants it.”
“Doesn't matter what it is” he answered. “You can't leave it there. Take it somewhere or throw it away.”
Jessie stood before him and started to cry. She was sad and tired and didn't know how to start moving all those boxes.
She woke with tears in eyes that scanned the room realizing she had been dreaming.
“If someone ever offered me something good, I don't think I would have turned it down” she thought.
“I offer Myself, and people choose to not accept Me” came the voice that she longed to hear.
“But you’re even better than the best fruit. I just don't understand. I just don't understand” she thought as she fell back to sleep.
Jessie found herself back near the same street corner. All of the fruit boxes had been removed and in their place stood a man that looked like the pictures of Jesus that she saw at Bobbie’s house. She stood close enough to watch and listen. The man was reaching out his hand to the people walking down the street, smiling, nodding his head and sometimes speaking words of greeting. While she watched, no one took his hand; instead they ignored him or altered their steps so that they didn't even come close to where he stood. With each passing man, woman or child Jessie could see a shadow cross his face, like a flash of pain. Then his smile would return. It hurt Jessie to watch him so she rushed to his side, taking his hand. Others shouted for her to be careful and stay away. “Don't trust strangers” they called, or “You don't even know who he is.”
“No” she answered back, though no one was listening. “You don't know who He is, but I do.”
walking with Emily and the beloved imperfect ones
2 comments:
Good writing.
Beautiful story!
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