Peaches

Beautiful piles of ripe peaches, fiery red and golden yellow, beckon to me from across the produce section of the grocery store. But their appearance deceives. They must be handled, pressed, tasted, and smelled. One feels soft and sweet, giving beneath the slightest touch. Another remains hard and cold. One is fresh, another spoiled. At a distance, they all seem flawless, but an intimate encounter reveals the truth.

Likewise goes the church - perfect families, perfect lives, shiny and bright on the surface. What lies beneath the skin? Often, a “perfect” peach is hard and bland, while a bruised peach is soft and sweet. Will our judgments continue to be skin deep?