“When Life Gives You Lemons…”
Ahh…summer!
Lately, it has been really hot, and I find myself seeking shelter in the air-conditioned house! I find that I am more thirsty too!
The last few months across the world, and especially in our country, have been tense and abnormal. The temperature of the culture around us is elevated to say the least. “Hot topics” of today can make one feel overheated and irrational, just like spending hours outdoors on a 90-degree summer day! A cold glass of ice water, sweet tea, or lemonade seems to do the trick after enjoying the sun. The old saying, “when life gives you lemons, make lemonade” couldn’t be more true for this current season.
Lemons, by beautiful nature, when cut, give off an effervescent aroma! That citrus scent is medically known to calm stress! Lemon is also offered at the completion of an expensive dinner to cleanse the palette. Lemon is used in household cleaners and enhances many culinary delights. This small yellow fruit packs a punch as it can boost your immune system, aid in weight loss, clear your skin, hydrate the lymphatic system, balance PH, aid in digestion, and it is also a natural diuretic! It is when pressure is applied that the juice of a lemon yields positive results. Sure, they are tart to eat, but in general they add a great deal of zest!
Recently, when our part of Pennsylvania moved to the “green phase” my immediate family, had a “when life gives you lemons” party! Each part of the meal, from appetizers to desserts, boasted the lovely lemon flavor. We celebrated that our children had successfully completed the school year with flying colors, and that the ministry of our church had flourished in new ways. We reflected on how we had to have better self-control over emotions like fear, frustration and disappointment.
I John 2:15-16 says:
“Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.”
Though we are not to love this world nor the things in it, we do need to be able to talk about the current events of today with Heaven’s perspective. However, we CANNOT be reactionary like the world. If Jesus is truly on His way to pick up His bride, we better be without spot or wrinkle, when He honks the horn.
Matthew 25:31-36;40 reads:
“When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, He will sit on His glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate the people one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will place the sheep on His right and the goats on His left. Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave Me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave Me something to drink, I was a stranger and you took Me in, I was naked and you clothed Me, I was sick and you looked after Me, I was in prison and you visited Me…‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of Mine, you did for Me.’”
Our words and actions in reaction to the culture, to governmental orders, and feeling the need to have a voice, isn’t going to add to our church’s numbers daily. It’s going to have to take a response not a reaction. Our response is to lead others to the Word of God and its Author. He is the finisher of their faith, not us. Our media posts and dinner conversations, words, thoughts, feelings or actions will not bring the same impact. A reaction is typically quick, without much thought, tense and aggressive. It is me-focused, and produces more reactions. A response is thought out, calm, and non-threatening, moving in empathy or love. A response also desires reconciliation. Where a reaction brings more division; a response builds trust.
Isaiah 55:1-2 says:
“Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food.”
Lead people to the Finisher of their faith. Give them something cold to quench their spiritual thirst and quiet their unruly emotions.
So, though life may be handing us lemons…I think we know what to do with them! Make something sweet! Squeeze the day! Be zesty! It’s easy peasy, lemon squeezy!
