Stealing fruit

Our orange tree is loaded with juicy navel oranges at the moment. Each day I go out and pick enough to get us through the day. When friends are coming, I pick a bagful to give away. I like to share the fruit and am blessed when others share with me from their own gardens - lemons, peaches, plums and the like in season.

So why was I miffed when I saw someone picking an armful of oranges from the other side of the fence this week? If they had asked, I would gladly have shared, so why was I annoyed?

It took me a while to work it out.

What I was annoyed about was not the stealing of the oranges, but the stealing of the chance to bless.

It reminds me of the time when we moved to a new house. One of our neighbours, on first being introduced, said, 'You have to be nice to me. Your water pipes go across my land.' In one fell swoop she stole my choice. She stole the kindness I would have freely given.

I am happy to share the fruit in my life. I love to share skills that I have laboured to gain. It's a delight to cook and share a meal, some baking, a bagful of fruit or veg from the garden.

But I don't like to have it stolen.