1530) Here in Maine, we have several fruits that grow wild. We have strawberries, blackberries, apples, raspberries, and blueberries. As is often the case, these wild berries have a better taste than their cultivated kin. The strawberries, for example, are often no bigger than the tip of my pinkie but they pack a powerful flavor.

These wild berries came to mind as I read James 1:18. Here, the author tells us God gave us birth through the word of truth. That line by itself could be another whole “minute” devotion. That God himself created us even when he knew how we would choose the bad over the good and, in my mind, whether James meant physical or spiritual birth doesn’t matter. It’s still amazing to me.

It is the second part of the eighteenth verse that caught my attention. Here, we are told we are like the first fruits on the land. I see this first fruit to be like our wild berries. God wants us to stand out as the most flavorful, sought after people; not for our own glorification, but for his. The natural fruits I described earlier don’t sit on their stems and think I am the best. Look at me.

I believe we should stand out among others because we make better choices, give grace freely and rejoice in all God has done.

You are a part of God’s first fruits. What is your flavor?