King of Fruits

This Batak man is holding a durian in one of the many traditional markets in Medan, Sumatra’s largest urban center. In Indonesian the word for “thorn” is “duri.” Hence, durian is the thorny fruit. When you open a durian it’s a very fragrant fruit. The smell of a durian is so strong that it’s often banned for public transportation in many parts of Southeast Asia. Durian invites a strong reaction. People don’t generally ride the fence in their opinion about this unusual fruit. Most people either love it, or hate it.

People’s reaction to durian is reminiscent of Paul’s description of how people often respond to the Gospel. “For we are to God a sweet savor of Christ, in those being saved, and in those being lost; to the one we are the savor of death to death, and to the other we are the savor of life to life. And who is sufficient for these things?” (2 Corinthians 2:15-16, ESV).

Pray that believers on Sumatra will witness in the power of the Holy Spirit and not in their own strength. None of us are sufficient for sharing words of life without God’s empowerment.

Pray for the Gospel to be proclaimed in such a way that, like a durian, it will demand a response.

Pray for God to prepare people from each of the people groups on Sumatra to respond positively to the Gospel.