Recently on Facebook a story was floated about a wife who
was complaining to her grandmother about her cheating husband. She did an
illustration and had her bring three pots to a boil, the first one she put
carrots, the second one eggs and the third coffee. After 20 minutes she talked
about each one and how the hot water was adversity in our life. The carrot went
in hard, but under the “heat” went soft and lost their strength. Or an egg
which had a malleable heart but under the “heat” became hard. Or the coffee
bean which actually changed the water in was in when the “heat” was on. Do you
make the situation around you better or worse?
That is coffee and what Jesus was talking about in Matthew
5:13-16 when we are to live in His way:
13 Ye are
the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it
be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be
trodden under foot of men. 14 Ye are the light of the
world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. 15 Neither
do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it
giveth light unto all that are in the house. 16 Let your
light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your
Father which is in heaven.
God does not ask us to shine when all is shining around us,
He is not asking us to flavor a tender and juicy meal. No Jesus is asking us to
shine in the darkness and flavor bland food. See if we praise God when things
are going great, that is easy. When the meal can stand on its own without extra
seasoning or when it is sunny outside God can be praised but He is experienced
and glorified in tough times.
When you are down and out to the world yet still live in the
joy and hope Jesus gives us, THAT is what Jesus was talking about. God never “promised
us a rose garden” here on earth. Think about all the great stories in the Bible
and how the “hero” rose against adversity to shine God’s glory for all to see.
If God took someone who had it easy people could claim the person was the “hero”
and not God.
No God used an exiled murderer to lead the people from
Egypt, not a prince. So be a coffee bean and when the water around you starts
to boil, CHANGE THE WATER and not your love for Jesus!!