Fruit That Lasts

Today the Banda Islands seem insignificant. Located in the Pacific Ocean as part of eastern Indonesia, they are unknown to all but a few specialists and the people of that region. Their population is estimated to be less than 20,000.

Yet at one time these Islands were the focus of intense battles among European superpowers. Why? Because they produced the world’s entire supply of nutmeg. Author Giles Milton describes how one of those islands, a tiny rock named “Run,” became “the most talked about island in the world.” Nutmeg was thought to have such potency as a healing herb that it became “the most coveted luxury in seventeenth-century Europe.”

The islands were “discovered” by Portugal in 1512, but soon the Netherlands emerged as the dominant power. Later, the English and the Dutch fought battles to gain control of Run. These were bloody battles, and there even were massacres of native populations.

Though nutmeg still grows on these islands, they no longer attract the world’s attention. In fact, Run is “of such insignificance” that some atlases even neglect “to record its existence.”

The shifting value of these islands reminds us of the way many people can squander their lives pursuing riches and pleasures, chasing temporary power and rewards. The Bible reminds us to look at our lives from the perspective of eternity and remember that each of us will need to give an account for our lives.

Today, ask God to give you His perspective on your life. Remember that you’ve been blessed so you can be a blessing to others. Seek first God’s Kingdom, and invest your time, talent, and treasure in fruit that will last into eternity.