Apples or Peaches

Some Native Americans have the saying, it's better to be a peach than an apple. An apple is  red on the outside and white at the center. On the other hand, a peach is white on the outside, but when you cut it open, it is red at its core.

Our family is proud of its American Indian heritage. I love the languages, the cultures, the beliefs, and most importantly, the people. They have a strength, resilience, and determination that I can only dream of having. As a blond haired, blue eyed kid, I knew I could never look like the typical Native American, but in my heart, I took comfort that I didn't have to be an apple. I could be a peach. At my core, I could be native.

As I have gotten older, I still want to be that peach. Deep, down where it matters most, if they cut me open, I pray they find that I am red through and through. Not only because I am Native American at heart, but because I try to be genuine, real, and most importantly, a believer.

A well known teacher sat and watched as money was being given at the temple. People paraded in. Many put on a big to do. They were dressed up in their very best clothes. They rode in on fancy horses and camels. The men showed off. They bragged about what they brought to their friends and tossed it showily upon the gathered money.

In the midst of all this ruckus, an older woman, all alone, crept up to the front and placed her few meager savings upon the pile. Some laughed at the sight of her. Others scoffed at the amount she gave. The teacher looked at those sitting with him, and to their surprise, he said this woman had given more than any of the rest had.

I like this story because it isn't about money. When you get right down to it, it's about what is at a person's core.  Are you a believer? Do you have faith? Are you genuine through and through in every action, word, and deed? As you go throughout the rest of Holy Week, ask yourself, "If they cut me open, what would they find at my core?"