I was reflecting on the object lesson (or whatever more educated people want to call it) about the mother who had three pots of boiling water. In one she put a carrot, in another she put an egg and in the last pot she put coffee. She and her child went back later to find things changed. The carrot which had been rigid in the beginning was now soft. The egg which had gone in fragile, came out hard. The last pot contained the coffee and it wasn't any different, but it had changed the water. Now if you haven't heard this before, the water represents trials or hard times we are going through. How do we react? like the carrot who went in strong but when it was all over with, it was a squishy thing or the egg who went in fragile but came out hardened, or the coffee that actually had an effect on the water by changing it into something good.
At first I was thinking I know someone who is the egg. I didn't know what I was....I didn't want to be the egg, but I also knew that I wasn't the coffee. It wasn't until I made that statement aloud at the dinner that my wise husband said...."I think we are all of them at times." I guess he is right. I wish I was the coffee all the time.
Another one that has been going through my head is the one where we are like a cup. Whatever we are full of, is what comes out when we get "bumped" (trials). I know that at times the things that come out are not very pleasing to God. I have tried to empty myself of me...to have God empty me of me,k but to no avail. I believe that constant thought has to go into every reaction we have....we have that split second before we react to make a conscious decision whether or not we are going to please Him or not. Apparently my flesh wins that split second battle ......a lot. :-(
I don't want to grow up....(sounds funny) to be bitter and angry like people I know.....I don't want to growl all the time. I don't want people to frustrate me at every turn, but they do. I want to be pleasing to Him at all times. James wasn't kidding when he said that "No man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. with it we bless our God and Father and with it we curse men. Who have been made in the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so."
So......which are you? the carrot?, the egg?, or the coffee? What is your cup full of?
3 comments:
Wow Auntie - I feel like I constantly struggle with this one too. I think you are right though it is a constant "taking captive" of our thoughts and preparing our hearts and minds to make the right choice when it comes. We do a lot of "practice runs" with the kids on the way to visit people or to fun things and go over "what do you do if this or that happens?" how do you need to obey, etc. I think we need to do that for ourselves too. What are we going to do when that cashier is snappy at us? what are we going to do when someone cuts us off on the road, what are we going to do if our hubby doesn't do kartwheels after we make him breakfast etc. thank you for your post. what a good reminder to be always prayerfully seeking a godly response to anything that "bumps" us. :) miss you!
thank you for commenting My girlie....hey and what's up with the name....does Jalene have a blog?
she did have me start one for her but it's linked to my email address so I think that's why it won't let my name be on mine and hers on hers. I changed it back to mine so I am anxious to see if that works after I post THIS comment. :)
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