Boiling Point

Boiling Point

“Do not conform yourselves to this age but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and pleasing and perfect.” ~ Romans 12:2

   Today at Mass Father told a story about a conversation between a Grandmother and her Grandchild. The conversation was about what kind of person she hoped that her grandchild would be and to show her what kind of person she wanted her to be she showed her by taking her into the kitchen and put three pots filled with water onto the stove and waited till they boiled. When they did, she placed carrots in one pot, another pot, eggs and in the last ground coffee beans. She sat with her grandchild and she kept asking her grandmother what is the lesson and she replied just wait some more and you will see. 

    After 20 minutes she turn off the pots and she spooned out the carrots and paced them in a bowl. She pulled the eggs out and placed them in a bowl. Then she ladled the coffee out and placed it in a cup. She asked her grandchild what do you see? “ Carrots, eggs and coffee”, she replied. Take a closer look at each of them. Feel the carrots and she said they were soft and mushy. She then took an egg and broke the shell and found the egg has hardened and finally she asked her to sip the coffee. She said the coffee had deep flavor and had a rich aroma.  She then asked her grandmother “ What is the point to all of this?”

    She replied to her and explained that each of these three items faced the same problem, boiling water, but each one reacted differently. The carrot went in hard, strong and unrelenting. However, after the boiling water it became weak. The egg was fragile and the outer shell protected itself but after the boiling water its inside became hardened. However, the coffee beans were different. After they were in the boiling water they changed the water. 

      Think about : Which one are you? Are you like the carrot that seems strong but when pain and adversity comes do you wilt and lose your strength? Are you like the egg  that starts with a fluid spirit but after a death, breakup, money issues, or some other trial, you become hardened and stiff? Does your shell look the same, yet inside you are bitter, tough, and have a hardened heart? Or are you like the coffee bean that changes the hot water, the very reason that brought the problem, pain or hardship on, into something better? If you are like the bean you change the circumstances and come out better then before. You do not allow it change you but you change the situation for the better then it changing you for the worse. 

    I must say that I wish I knew this story years ago. For so many years I was the egg. I allowed problem and situations in my life harden my heart to God and all the grace that He wanted to share with me. At times I bet we all can relate to each one of these, the carrot, the eggs and the coffee beans. I know I can. 

    We all, and I am speaking to myself as well here, need to stay strong and stay the course and be like the coffee bean and change whats around us and not allow it to change us. We are called to change the world and not let the world change us. We have to change the hearts of those in the world and show them the love of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. It is our jobs to be like the coffee bean and bring that rich and deep love of God to those in pain, who suffer, who are lost, who are blind, who are seeking the truth and those who do not know any other way. We can change the things around us and we have to try and make sure that those things do not change and harden us. 

Until tomorrow, God Bless, and which would you rather be? The carrot, the egg, or the coffee bean?