The Durian Gospel is my first article to be submitted for publishing as a member of the Young Writers Program organised by Press Services International. This program helps to provide a ready-source of content for the magazine publication Christian Today Australia. You can read that article here.
The version that you read here is an extended version of the original article. Whereas a 900-word limit is applied to article submissions, I have greater freedom here to explore some of the ideas more fully.
I am sure you have heard of the “King of Pop” – Michael Jackson, but have you heard of the king of fruit – durians? I was recently confronted with the love/hate topic of durians, a tropical and controversial crowd-dividing fruit. Characterised by a very distinctive smell (more on that later) and hard thorny shell, they originate from South East Asia (Malaysia, Indonesia & Brunei). Falling durians have a sad, but very real killing record – like some historical kings (Henry VIII for example). Across the cultures, the understanding of kings is associated with a position of honour. To be called the king of something means that product/individual has come to represent and symbolise that entire industry or category. Just as Michael Jackson dominated the pop music industry and was globally recognised for his music talent (amongst other things…) so durians are honoured to be the ultimate representation of all fruit. Two reasons for why durians can claim the title of being the ultimate fruit include:
- The generally expensive price – comparative to other fruits – the cost per kilogram for durian makes it a more exclusive and desirable source of nourishment.
- thorny skin which protects his precious fleshy cargo inside, much like a crown.
A fragrance or a stench?
Alfred Wallace, the natural historian who worked with Charles Darwin on the Theory of Natural Selection described the taste of durian in his book, The Malay Archipelago, as:
“A rich butter-like custard highly flavoured with almonds gives the best general idea of it, but intermingled with it comes wafts of flavour that call to mind cream-cheese, onion-sauce, brown sherry, and other incongruities.”
Others, however, have likened the smell and aftertaste of durian to the smell of death. When I was growing up, as an Australian-born Chinese visiting the extended family in South East Asia, the smell of durian to me was an affront to my senses. This was further confirmed by all the official signage warning, cautioning and indeed banning the consumption of durians in enclosed spaces like lifts, hotels and even in public places. To my cousins who grew up in that environment, they naturally accept the smell and indeed consider it a kingly fragrance to behold.
The quote above reminds me of how the Apostle Paul compares believers to a fragrance that divides people, much like that of the durian. In 2 Corinthians 2:15 – 16, Paul says,
“For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are an aroma that brings death; to the other, an aroma that brings life. And who is equal to such a task?”
If you love durian, its smell gives joy. If you despise it, the smell of durian might keep you from even trying it, as it did for myself as a child. To be an aroma that brings life, we have to be pleasing to God and smell (look and act) like Christ. When we pursue Christ first, his fragrance and essence helps us to experience life to full abundance.
Nothing in between
When I ask people if they like durians, the question generally evokes strong responses in both those for and against it. There is little room to sit on the fence. Similarly, the message of the Gospel is a divisive topic with no room for a lukewarm response. Even my current experience of “conversion” which is an ongoing and slow process, does not necessarily contradict my point here. In the hours that follow my sampling of durian-flavoured foods, the aftertaste reminds of why I dislike the fruit so much. You could say that my conversion experience is a form of torture where I force myself to try more and more of the durian fruit/cake/mochi dessert. Whilst some people are even more drawn against durian and gag at the mere smell, I am slowly growing accustom to the smell, and am at the point where I can sample small portions of the pungent fruit. However, even if I have tried a slice of cake, and stomached the taste, I generally conclude that the durian is still a very hard fruit to find palatable.
Sometimes, when we approach the Gospel, particularly from the perspective of a non-believer who is exploring and sampling the Christian lifestyle/beliefs, until a heart transformation is realised (with the help of God), the head knowledge can only take that person so far. Their unbelief will keep salvation an elusive goal. The Gospel is clearly a goal which can only be truly fully experienced with God first transforming and opening an individual’s heart.
Revelation 3:15 – 16 teaches us that God “knows your deeds, that you are neither cold not hot; I wish that you were cold or hot. So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth.” I find this a constant challenge – to rekindle and maintain my passion for Christ and the Gospel. Like my opinion on durians, I need to have a clear love and passion for the Gospel. Further, I thank God that He transformed my heart and allowed me to seek Him and experience His love and truth personally.
In Matthew 7:18 – 20, the fruit of the Gospel we bear is either good or bad, with each being borne from a good or bad tree respectively. Historically I have always considered durian a bad fruit, in part because of all those signs you see in Asian countries banning it from indoor environments or enclosed spaces like lifts. Amazingly, like the transformative power of the Gospel, I seem to slowly growing to accept durians as palatable in small doses! So maybe, just maybe, durians can be considered good fruit?
Our reputation precedes us
Paul writes about the fragrance of the Gospel, that this fragrance of the knowledge of Christ becomes like our reputation in that it precedes us. The very way we live can yield opportunities to engage people who catch the scent of the Gospel. This is an open door to share the good news, that Jesus, as our saviour, has risen from the dead and offers salvation – eternal life with Him in heaven. In this way, when we model Christ-like behaviour to non-believers, that example demonstrates and speaks loudly to the non believers who are looking at us to see what Christian living is like. As Jesus also teaches, consistency and truth are hallmarks which are exemplified by His words, “Let your yes be yes, and your no be no”. Teachings like this are opportunities for believers to demonstrate what Christ-like living is. When we say one thing but mean another, the inconsistency tends to make visible our need for greater accountability to Christ and perhaps give cause for us to pause and consider what kind of fruit we are indeed producing.
Perseverance for fruit
Durian skin features a thick layer of spiky thorns. For those who love the inner flesh, an effort needs to be made to penetrate the skin in order to reap the reward of that fleshy durian substance at the core.
In a similar way, the Gospel can be taken at a surface level. We can see it as a challenging and difficult concept to grasp and fully appreciate. Yet, I have found that as I persevere in reading God’s Word, with the help of the Holy Spirit, I glean new revelation and a more in-depth appreciation for the substance that is the Word of God. That richness, in turn, will show in our lives as good fruit.
Like anything good, it is worth the effort and pain to persevere in our pursuit of the living Gospel. Patience and endurance are characteristics that help build up our faith. That verse from Ephesians that highlights the common traits that embody love also help to reinforce the point of how love, as expressed through and in these traits leads to good fruit. Indeed, Jesus commands His disciples that if they love Him, to simply obey His commandments that He had given to them:
If you love me, keep my commands. (John 14:15 NIV)
Plant the Fruit
The fruit analogy has one final teaching for us to appreciate – both the Gospel and durian are things that grow with nurturing and care. Plant the Gospel in your heart and let it flourish such that the sweet aroma of God helps you represent Jesus to all. The analogy of fruit being planted also is a theme that Jesus refers to indirectly in the parable of the sower / Matthew 13. In this parable, Jesus starts by talking about a sower. God is indeed represented by the sower; a heavenly gardener who allows all his seeds to be dispersed across different environments. We are the seeds and depending on where we choose to be planted, our environment will either help us to draw closer to God, or become distracted and lose sight of God. If we allow the Gospel to be planted in our hearts, as the priority focus in our lives, then we, as the seeds who fall on the healthy rich soil, will flourish and grow to bear much good fruit.
King of Kings
For me, durians are not quite the king of fruit. If there was one fruit to rule them all, and in the darkness bind them, for me that would be the mango! It is highly unlikely that there would be a universally accepted fruit – but since I love mangos, and a lot of people do too, I picked the mango as my alternative here. I recently tested out a theory of love/hate for mango/durians which is a prevailing view of my fiancee. Did she love mangos more than her dislike of durians? Well – to determine this the two fruit flavours were found combined dessert offering – mango durian mochi. After a quick but short attempt to actually taste the dessert the repulsiveness of durian overwhelmed and was victorious. Durian 1 – Mango 0.
Jesus bears the title King of Kings. He is not just a king, His name is greater and above ALL the kings of the world. As a member of the triune God that Christians believe, He is sovereign over everything and is therefore Lord of the durian.