Prov 8:19

"My fruit is better than gold, yes, than fine gold, And my revenue than choice silver" Prov 8:19

I've been to the one of the local supermarkets and seen some fruit that is like Solomon's in today's verse! It sure seems like the cost of living keeps rising by the week.

But that is not the fruit that Solomon is talking about. He is talking about the same thing Paul was writing about in Galatians 5, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law." (Gal 5:22-23 NKJV) These are the fruits that have a value far greater than gold for several reasons.

1) Each fruit can only be raised at great expense. Ever found a "love" tree from which you could pick a bit of love and put it in your basket? Of course not. Love is expensive. It costs the human spirit a great deal to acquire. It can only be purchased by giving it away. That's right, give love away and you are sure to gain more than you give. The same is true of joy, peace, all of the fruits. They are acquired at great cost to the collector.

2) Each fruit has value that cannot be counted in gold. What price would you put on a pound of love, or a quart of peace? The giver of love is relinquishing something that has cost him blood, sweat, and tears. The person who receives it receives a great honor as well. Love is not thrown to the wind to be sown on the roadside. It is planted with love, suffering, and pain. It is literally the very life of the giver. And peace comes right with love - especially the love that comes from the Father, for that love is the most costly of all.

3) Each fruit is in such demand that the cost is high. Not that there is a shortage of supply! No, there is sufficient for everyone to get all he or she wants and needs. The problem is that few people want to give up what they have. Many are there who are "fruit hoarders"! They get a little love, peace goodness, gentleness, and it's like they put it in a fruit jar with a tight lid. Then, then the jar is full, they clamp down the lid and bury the jar and all in some dark, dank hole. The only problem is that when the gifts are treated so, they rot away. When the hoarder returns to his cache, he finds nothing there but an empty jar.

Indeed, my fruits, your fruits, our fruits are much more valuable than gold. And the income from them is much more valuable than silver! Hallelujah, Amen and Amen.