Some of you ole-timers may remember a Billie Holiday classic entitled STRANGE FRUIT. Billie sang the song after experiencing southern U.S. racism, having witnessed people of color hanging from trees; victims of lynchings.
I was reminded of this song during my Bible reading the other day as I saw the scripture that shared: “by their fruits ye shall know them” (Matt. 7:16) and realized that I have seen some STRANGE FRUIT too. Just as obvious as the STRANGE FRUIT that Billie Holiday saw, the STRANGE FRUIT around me also stands out. My STRANGE FRUIT is also victimized and some have been lynched. The Bible also uses the word “peculiar” when describing the people exhibiting this STRANGE FRUIT.
These “peculiar” people who are described as holy and sanctified and set apart, are STRANGE, compared to the majority of the people, who are not. They would be considered Abnormal while the majority is considered normal. Therefore, normal for me, are those who are “peculiar”. My normal is the world’s Abnormal. Sounds like an episode of the TV show, Sanctuary. But like Dr. Magnus, ‘el provides sanctuary for His abnormals, His STRANGE FRUIT.
STRANGE FRUIT is a concept that goes way back in time. The prophet Moshe told us that being sanctified (holy, set apart) was something special, when he wrote: “Sanctify unto me all the firstborn, whatsoever openeth the womb among the children of Yisra’el, both of man and of beast” (Ex. 13:2) or when he wrote: “Keep the Shabbath Yom to sanctify it, as Yahh thy ‘elohiym commanded thee” (Deut.5:12).
Other Biblical luminaries confirmed that this sanctify business is serious stuff.
“…when the days of their feasting were gone about, that Job went and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all”. (Job 1:5);
“before thou camest out of the womb I sanctified thee” (Jer. 1:5);
“And I will sanctify My great name that was profaned among the heathen” (Ezek. 36:23);
“Sanctify them through thy truth, thy word is truth” (John 17:17);
“…an inheritance among all them which are sanctified” (Acts 20:32);
“that he might sanctify and cleanse it” (Ephes. 5:26);
“that He might sanctify the people with His blood” (Hebs. 13:12).
Thinking back to Ms. Holiday’s thoughts on STRANGE FRUIT, hanging from a tree, I am reminded of the most famous of the STRANGE FRUIT , and he too hung from a tree. It is written: “Cursed is any man that hangeth from a tree” (Deut. 21:23). Hmm… Curses and lynchings and tree hangings all go together as we investigate STRANGE FRUIT.
The lyrics to Ms. Holiday’s song are appropriate as a reminder that the sanctified are viewed by the world, as are the people of color, whose fate was the tree. The hate, the scorn, the utter distaste, straight from the pit of hell. A vivid picture is painted in the harsh lyrics of this classic tune. The cost of being STRANGE FRUIT is high but the rewards are even higher. Heaven anyone?
Strange Fruit
(as recorded by Billie Holiday)
Southern trees bear strange fruit,
Blood on the leaves and blood at the root,
Black bodies swinging in the southern breeze,
Strange fruit hanging from the poplar trees.
Pastoral scene of the gallant south,
The bulging eyes and the twisted mouth,
Scent of magnolias, sweet and fresh,
Then the sudden smell of burning flesh.
Here is fruit for the crows to pluck,
For the rain to gather, for the wind to suck,
For the sun to rot, for the trees to drop,
Here is a strange and bitter crop.


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