That’s an UglyRipe heirloom tomato, the center of a controversy among produce growers and the subject of an adverse ruling by the Florida Tomato Committee. It cannot be transported across state lines from Florida because it doesn’t look right. Those ridges you see don’t conform to standards established by growers and packers in the state so, despite the good taste of the UglyRipe and the fact that is specifically grown for a market in the northeast, it cannot now be moved out of Florida. It’s a case of judging the fruit by its appearances.
Firstly, we are blessed to know that this is not the way that God judges us and the Bible cautions: “Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment” (John 7:24). Jesus gave this command when He had been falsely judged by public opinion as unworthy because the rulers of the Jews were looking for an opportunity to kill him (John 7:25-26). Nothing our Lord did was in any way contrary to the Law of Moses, nor did it violate any of God’s commands, but it did not meet with the approval of those leaders who had set up their own criteria for rabbis and teachers of the Law.
Then there are some who want us to change our outward appearance to make us more acceptable. Movements in the brotherhood are working to bring the church into the 21st century by setting new criteria for its outlook on the Word of God, its approach to worship, and its relationships with “other Christians” who are not members of the church of Christ. The change agents fear that if we don’t listen to their guidance the church will be like the UglyRipe tomato—unappealing to the world, to the unchurched, and to other religious people who are loosely called “Christians.” They decry the idea of clinging to a heritage of strict obedience to the Bible. They insist that the church, if it is to grow, must develop an appearance which is not “ugly” to the world.
But we are like the UglyRipe. It’s an heirloom tomato which has been unaltered by constant breeding which others have practiced in order to produce their perfectly smooth round tomatoes which will be inoffensive to all. We want only to do things by the Bible—the Word of God, because “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work” (2 timothy 3:16-17). We want to live by the unaltered gospel. We want to stick to our heritage of speaking where the Bible speaks and keeping silent where it is silent. Of doing Bible things in Bible ways, and calling Bible things by Bible names. We are “not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes” (Romans 1:16).
Tomato aficionados hail the UglyRipe for what they regard as its superior flavor and refuse to judge it by appearances. People, we believe, are looking for preachers and teachers who will tell them the truth about God’s requirements for Christians. They want a real Christianity—not a nominal one. They don’t shy away from the difficult commands and duties which the Bible lays on Christians—they welcome them because they are seekers after truth.
Let’s not try to modify Christianity to fit some preconceived ideas of men who are afraid to stand out as different. “Do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God” (James 4:4).