The First Fruits Initiative
“ Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the first fruits of all your produce; then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will be bursting with wine.”
While planting our potato crop yesterday we began talking about our first fruits tradition. It all began when Lin and Sarah decided to take the very first blueberries picked to our neighbors as a means of connection and kindness. These early berries, unlike the last berries of the late season, are the biggest, juiciest, plumpest berries, fairly bursting with unbelievable flavor. Hopping in our Gator and driving to each house not only brought immense joy to our hearts, but we were also reminded of our purpose - to bless others regardless of our harvest.
Most often you’ll hear the phrase, “Give out of your abundance,” and while the sentiment sounds reasonable, it misses the mark. While we should absolutely look outwardly when the blessings are abundant in our lives, we must also fight against the scarcity mindset that so often sets in when what we have seems too little. Without knowing what was ahead, we gave of what we had from the beginning, not because we are so virtuous and worthy of being praised (we’re not, we are human and make mistakes daily, lest anyone think otherwise!).
We give of our crop because we trust that regardless of the circumstances in which we find ourselves, God will provide. Not only that, but we owe everything we have to Him, and the best initiative we can take is to give to others what usually is reserved for the grower.
As we planted potatoes one-by-one, gently covering them with freshly-tilled soil, giving them an extra ‘pat’ on the top to tuck them into their growing beds, we were yet again compelled to consider what we now call the “First Fruits Initiative”. We’re not sure if it will evolve into anything more than simply giving our early-season berries to those God lays on our hearts, or if it will become something greater, but we urge you, our readers, to examine your hearts. Is there anything God has laid on your hearts to sacrifice, without knowing if it will be a positive outcome, for the benefit of spreading God’s love and impacting others? This could look differently for various professions:
A counselor could give a free hour the first of every year to listen and offer advice to an individual who otherwise couldn’t afford their services
A butcher could give a family in need a lovely roast that would have brought in a high price, knowing that it will fill hungry bellies.
A construction worker could offer to repair a gutter falling off a widow’s home for no charge, just a smile and a job well done.
A veteran homeschooling Mom could bring a young family into her home to observe how she teaches her children, so the family could feel confident to start on their own homeschool journey.
A baker could offer a troubled teen an opportunity to work alongside her on a weekend so the teenager might be given an outlet to allow their creativity to flourish in a healthy manner.
You see, it’s not only farmers that have “first fruits” to offer. It’s all of us. Everyone has gifts and abilities that others would love to learn or benefit from if we are just willing to use them for the glory of God, rather than ourselves. So with that in mind, will you join us in our “First Fruits Initiative”? If so, we’d love to hear about it! Send us an email or fill out the contact form by clicking HERE to share your story.