Eating the Starter

A couple days ago I was in a store which I love.  It's a combination kitchen gadget, whole grain, whole foods store, owned by a mom-and-pop.  I had taken a couple of girlfriends, in order to introduce them to the many wonders there.  While they were browsing, I was looking in the cooler where I spied a package of kefir (KEE-fur) starter.  I had thought it might be fun to make my own kefir, since it's good for you; and, it's so expensive when bought ready-made in the grocery store.  I bought a package.  (See picture above.)

Now, the way you make kefir is like this:  You make your first batch.  Then, you take some of that first batch and you use that "starter" to make your second batch.  This continues through several batches.  As I was talking to one of the ladies working at the store, she commented that someone in her family had gotten in trouble the other day because they had drank the last of the kefir.  In other words, they had "eaten the starter", which was highly counterproductive to the whole process.

This anecdote got me thinking about how we tend to do that, as Christians.  In trying to right a wrong or correct a situation, we "eat the starter".  Has this ever happened to you?  It has to me.  In fact, I have, at times, been the "eater".  To continue with the euphemisms, we sometimes "cut off our noses to spite our faces".

Most of the time, when we do this, it's not intentional.  Most of the time, it happens because we overreact to some threatening or painful situation, challenge, external stimulus.

One recent Sunday School lesson was from the Beatitudes, in Matthew 5.  Verse 5 talks about the believer's quality of meekness.  Some translations render it "gentleness".  But, meekness does not equal weakness!  The Message version likens meekness to a calm assurance of who one is, as a child of God.  You can't have this fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:23) until you HAVE the Holy Spirit.

5 “You’re blessed when you’re content with just who you are—no more, no less. That’s the moment you find yourselves proud owners of everything that can’t be bought.

Gentle, meek, "centered" people don't often "eat the starter".  They don't react inappropriately. Because of who they are positionally in Jesus Christ and because they know that, to the depths of their being, they aren't overly bothered by the circumstances around them, even when those circumstances are terrible. They remember who is in ultimate control - - - God.

Yep, sometimes, even we Christians get ourselves into nasty messes.  We eat the starter of relationships, of careers, of churches.  In the heat of the moment we can so easily devour one another. We may even think that a relationship is irreparable or impossible.

But, nothing is impossible with God (Jesus' words in Luke 1:37).  Just as we can go to the store or to a neighbor and get new starter for our kefir, we can go to God's throne and receive new grace and mercy.  The Bible promises that "His faithfulness is great and His mercies are new every morning" (Lamentations 3:23). He will give us "grace to help in time of need" (KJV).

Therefore let us confidently approach the throne of grace to receive mercy and find grace whenever we need help.   

Hebrews 4:16 (NET)

Now, don't misunderstand!  Grace does not include removing the earthly consequences of our sins. You eat your starter .... you will still have to go get more, if you want more kefir, that is.  It is far better to just not eat the starter at all.  When we properly care for our "starter", it yields more and more and more blessing, more and more spiritual health!

Meekness, gentleness...a fruit of the Spirit.  I need more of it.  What about you?  How about this - - - He also tells us in the very next verse (!) that if we work up a big appetite for more of Him, for more of His righteousness, He will fill that longing (Matt. 5:6).  Isn't that wonderful?  So, if we need more meekness or any of the other spiritual gifts, He will give them.  (Just like Hebrews 4:16!)

Father, smh... You, above all, know that I need meekness and gentleness.  You are such a loving, generous Lord!  So, I'm asking, God.  Please give me more meekness, more gentleness, so that I won't eat those wonderful "starters" You have given - - tremendous life blessings!  In Jesus' name, amen.

Ain't Me; It HE!

Good morning,

At first reading 2 Cor. 10 seems like a strange, little chapter.  No one verse jumps out until the very end.  You get the idea that Paul is uncomfortable talking about himself, to some extent, and so talks all around the actual point until he gets to the very end.  What's going on here is that the Corinthians, as mentioned before, were at the nexus of a spiritual "power grab" from competing religious factions, of which Paul was one.  Paul was defending his authority, with meekness, but he was also pointing out that the Corinthians, by focusing on all these "better than thou" comparisons were missing the point.

I think that we tend to do that in Christian circles today.  While it's true that "spiritual fruit" is an indicator of God's blessing, we should not get "hung up" on that.  There are times of dormancy, which are not only a natural part of the growth of fruit trees, but also of ministries.  When a ministry has been through a particularly nasty attack from Satan, the results will be visible and plain.  It often takes some time to recover.  One of the biggest fallacies of comparing ministries is failing to realize that God works in His own ways and in His own time.  Some folks "stars" are "ascending" while others' are on the wane, at any given point in time.  So what?  Soli Deo Gloria!

The main thing is this:  each ministry must remain true to its calling and true to the Word of God, using powerful God-tools to smash warped philosophies and tear down barriers against that Truth (vs. 4-5).  That should be the focus.  Then, if there is any comparing, boasting, bragging or claiming of credit to be done, it should be the way Paul put it in verses 17 and 18:

17 But the one who boasts must boast in the Lord. 18 For it is not the person who commends himself who is approved, but the person the Lord commends.

NET

This is meekness: not some trumped-up sense of false humility, but rather a determined, carnality-stomping focus on what He has done, not on what we have done.  "God gives the increase", not us. (1 Cor. 3:6)  Since He is in charge of results, why all this comparing?  Paul says when we do that we demonstrate a lack of proper understanding (vs. 12).  Indeed.

A frequent, unfortunate outcome of spiritual pride is that it blinds us to what God wants to do in our ministries next.  We are so sure WE know where God is going to lead us that we miss seeing what He would like to do.  I know I've been guilty of that.  "Man judges on the outward appearance, but God judges the heart."  My recollection of 1 Samuel 16:7.  Here it is from the NET:

7 But the Lord said to Samuel, “Don’t be impressed by his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. God does not view things the way men do. People look on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

Samuel was making comparisons between the sons of Jesse, and he thought for sure that Eliab, one of the taller, handsomer sons, was the one God would choose as Israel's next king.  But, no....and the verse above is what God spoke to Samuel in response.

Basically, spiritual pride just kills spiritual discernment.  So, let's seek meekness in our walks, in our ministries ... not seeking to promote ourselves, but rather, seeking to promote our Lord and His saving gospel.  We are called to meekness and to faithfulness.  He will grow His work in and through us.  He will "give the increase"!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6QqBJu55oXM 

Father, please forgive me for my self-aggrandizement, my extreme deficit of meekness.  Oh Lord! It's all about You!  Nobody else.  In Jesus' name, amen.