Sugar In the Bowl

I like a little sugar in my coffee in the mornings. Okay, to be honest, I guess you could say I like a little coffee with my sugar in the mornings. This morning, though, I found that the sugar bowl was empty. I went to refill it from the canister, but that was also empty, so I had to find the new bag of sugar. I finally had sugar in both the canister and the sugar bowl. I stirred my coffee, took that first refreshing sip, and got a nasty surprise - I had forgotten to put sugar in my coffee!

This got me thinking a little bit about my relationship with God (who would ever have thought that bitter coffee could be a religious experience?). But in particular, it got me thinking about what happens when I fail to add God into my daily experiences.

Consider this: I have read my Bible verses for the morning. I have spent time in reflection and meditation on my study passage. I have even spent my ten minutes in morning prayer. And then.... the children act up. Or an unexpected bill comes in the mail. Or I get behind a slow driver. Or dinner burns. Or long-anticipated plans fall through. How do I react?

If I am honest, more often than not I realize in the midst of my reaction that, while I may have filled my bowl with God, I have failed to stir Him into my day. And my reaction is bitter and leaves a terrible taste in my mouth.

James 1:22-24 says, "Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like." 

The context of this passage deals with our reactions to temptation, stress, and disappointment. If we are daily stirring God into the day, not only filling our bowl with His word but each moment with His flavor, our responses will be righteous ones. 

Putting God in the sugar bowl of your mind will never impact your day, no matter how large or beautiful the container you use. If the sweetness of His guidance, character, and promises aren't stirred into the coffee cup of your heart, and allowed to flavor your every experience, you will not be able to truly "taste and see that the Lord is good."

The Best Seasoning

 They were the first people I really noticed when we entered the ballroom of the hotel for the art exhibit: a lovely mother with her two lovely daughters, perched in a row on a cushioned ottoman in one of the seating areas. The daughters were dressed alike, with black dresses, black tights and shoes, black woolen coats, and stylish black berets all but covering their short wavy hair. The mother also was dressed all in black, her dyed black hair long and sleek and iridescent, like the feathers of a raven. They sat upon the ottoman for some time, speaking little and smiling less, until at last the rest of the family arrived: father in a well-cut black suit, and a young boy in black pants and sport coat with a black and grey scarf wound about his neck. My daughters noted them for their fine, matching clothes and interesting hats, but I was much more interested in their interactions, such as they were.

Some time later, my family and I sat at a little table to enjoy some of the refreshments provided, and it was then that another family caught my attention. The first I saw were a young father, with scruffy beard, baseball cap, and flannel shirt untucked from his baggy jeans, and his little girl, no more than two. She was wearing a simple jumper, and her curly hair was escaping wildly from a lopsided braid. She had a dish of ice cream, and he wanted her to sit to eat it. He looked at his child as if she were his greatest treasure, and lifted her into a seat as if she were made of porcelain. Moments later he was joined by a young woman in a simple green dress, her hair caught back in a hasty twist, a happy baby dandled on her hip. I noticed how they smiled at one another, how they laughed together, how happy the children seemed.

As I reflected on these two families, I remembered Proverbs 15:17 which says, "A bowl of vegetables with someone you love is better than steak with someone you hate." The first time I was introduced to this verse was at a friend's wedding. I must admit that I was a little amused by this very unconventional choice of Scripture reading for a wedding, but it didn't take me long to see the wisdom in it. Another friend put it this way recently: "Little is much when the Lord is in it."

Now, I don't know the financial situations of either family, so I am not judging on wealth or status. I am making observations on how each family presented itself. The first was so well put together, yet seemed so unhappy. The second family presented themselves very simply and casually, yet seemed so contented.

What is it that makes that "bowl of vegetables" seem as rich and satisfying as a choice steak? It is the seasonings of love and contentment. Even the best steak, if seasoned with strife and discontent, will taste dry and bitter, and be utterly unsatisfying.

As the Apostle Paul said, "I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want." (Philippians 4:12 NIV)

Whether your life holds little or much, whether you are sharing the simplest meals or the grandest feasts, remember that it is the seasoning you choose that makes them worth savoring.