Recently, God has been speaking to me through the use of Pineapples. Yes you read that right, Pineapples. How has a simple, common fruit become the source of Heavenly revelation you ask? Well, let me tell you.

First, did you know that pineapples didn’t use to be so common? In the 1600s, pineapples were so rare that only the richest of people would eat them. Sometimes, they would not even eat the fruit, instead they would have viewing parties and display the pineapple until it rotted completely. Later, pineapples became a sign of hospitality in the new world. If a hostess were able to get her hands on a juicy pineapple, she would be the talk of the town. Everyone would be lucky to attend said party because they knew that the hostess had spared no expense for them. However, today pineapple are some of the most common of fruits. Any grocery store you enter usually has a pile of these prickly pines. So what changed over the years to cause pineapples to become so common?

God kept asking me to change my perspective on the situation.

Change Your Thinking

One could say that pineapples haven’t changed but people’s thoughts on the fruits have changed. This is the first area in which God has been speaking to me. I recently come out of a season of being truly busy. Not the kind of busy where you just want to look busy to look important, but the kind of busy where I barely had a hour of free time during my daily day. In this season, I kept having some very negative thoughts about the load that had been placed on me. I was struggling and didn’t know how I was going to accomplish all the work, but God kept asking me to change my perspective on the situation. Although the situation wasn’t going to change, my thoughts and emotions on the situation could change. I needed to remember exactly how special the job I have is and that I needed God’s strength to complete the job anyways. I needed to choose joy in the midst. So although I was busy and overwhelmed, I could make it through. I just needed a mindset shift.

Slowly, I have been starting to realize that I truly need the repetition and the slow process.

Slow Down

Second, did you know that it takes a single pineapple three whole years to reach maturation? That is a LONG time for a single fruit. Through this, God has been showing me the importance of not rushing things.I love seeing a task finished. I love being able to check things off the to-do-list. I love the end of a project more than the start and the middle, but God has been showing me that I need to stop rushing to the end. He’s been doing this by repeating the same thing to me over and over, even when I feel like I should be done with that lesson and able to move on. He keeps speaking “hope” to me. Slowly, I have been starting to realize that I truly need the repetition and the slow process. Even when I think that I have already arrived, I begin to see how much I need to keep relearning the simple truths. I will never outgrow the simple gospel.

We need a solid community around us who will call us to higher things.

Be Rooted

Lastly, once harvested a pineapple will not continue to ripen. That means once it is removed from the root source, its growth is stunted. Through this, God has been showing me the necessity of being rooted in community and in Him. This idea is scattered all throughout the Bible. In particular, John 15 reminds believers that we need to abide in the vine of Christ because He is our life source. When we are cut off from the vine, our growth will be stunted and we will start to decay. Likewise, we need a solid community around us who will call us to higher things. Iron sharpens iron, as the saying goes. Because of these truths, I have been intentionally pursuing community with others and with God. My happy place of community with God is in worship. Nothing allows me to sense His heart and direction more than worship does. On the other hand, community with others isn’t always easy to fight for, but it is necessary. I need the strength of the roots of community around me, so I have been pursuing deep and meaningful friendships. As winter ends and the sun comes out, I’m fighting against isolation and pulling more people into my life so I can experience the true joys of community.

So the next time you see or eat a pineapple, remember there is a lot more to that simple fruit than meets the eye. And as you look at the world, never underestimate the power of God to speak to you through the most unexpected of places.

If you’re interested in learning more about the life God has for you, come join us for a DTS!