Matthew 12:25
Jesus knew what they were thinking, and he said to them:
Any kingdom where people fight each other will end up ruined. And a town or family that fights will soon destroy itself.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
This morning, I made a fresh apple pie. I don’t make a lot of desserts, so this is a rare treat for us. And while this recipe is not all that sweet, I looked at the pie and instantly thought, “A little slice of cheddar cheese on the side would be great to ‘cut the sweet’.”
My cousin Natalie recommended a book to me recently… A Little Salty to Cut the Sweet: Southern Stories of Faith, Family, and Fifteen Pounds of Bacon, by Sophie Hudson. The author shares stories of her Mississippi relatives and how they influenced her life. The title is a reference to her grandfather and something he used to say. Like my own grandfather who thought everything tasted better with sugar, hers would often top off his dessert with at least a few bites of something salty – another piece of chicken, some bacon or ham… or in my own grandfather’s case, a “spoonful of white soup beans”! The accompanying explanation was something along the lines of “I need something a little salty to cut the sweet.” I’ve heard this saying all of my life… and I have to admit, I have to have that last “salty” bite to “cut the sweet” quite often!
You probably think I’m going to talk about “salty” relationships in the context of those in which everything isn’t nice and sweet all the time. And I could easily do that… because clearly, Jesus is telling us that anytime we fight, hold grudges, and fail to get along, we are destined for failure and discontentment. There is no peace in relationships where people don’t speak for days/weeks/months/years. Sometimes, a little “saltiness” is okay – as long as we get back to the “sweet”, work things out, and restore order.
But what I really want to talk about today is how God puts together in relationships. Let’s understand something right up front… there is no such thing as a perfect family, friendship, community, or world at large. There will always be conflicts and disagreements, because God created each of us as unique human beings. Somewhere along the way, we’re not going to get along with the other guy. But that doesn’t mean we can allow disagreements and differences to fester and cause unrest or perpetual conflict. God brings us “salty” people to “cut the sweet”… to help us grow in our faith and learn how to share His love with everyone and live in His peace.
Right now, you may be harboring anger, resentment, jealousy, disappointment, or disgust toward a family member, friend, acquaintance, politician… or even a church member! You may base your feelings on an actual experience… or the hearsay and opinions of someone else. You may think you know the truth about someone or a specific situation…when in fact your feelings and attitudes are totally off base. Your “salty” may be totally out of balance to the “sweet” of your relationship with others. You may have been at odds with someone for so long that you honestly don’t remember what started the whole thing!
Where have you judged someone unfairly and failed to give him/her a chance to develop an honest, real relationship with you? Where have you closed the door and walked away, leaving resentments and hurts to fester and escalate? How have you contributed to a disagreement or misunderstanding… have you fanned the flames and made things worse? Have you said nothing and let someone assume you felt a particular way? Have you listened to the ideas and opinions of others and allowed them to tell you how you feel about certain people and/or situations? Do you treat others as you wish to be treated… or do some instantly sense your disapproval and disdain when you meet?
My pie recipe called for a tiny sprinkle of salt… to balance the sweetness and develop the flavor of the apples, I suppose. But adding any more salt than suggested would have totally ruined the dessert. I suggest that we all take a deep breath… that we spend some quiet time with God and ask Him to search our hearts and minds and see where we have added even a little too much “saltiness” to our lives. Life isn’t sweet all the time… and it doesn’t have to be. But we all know what too much salt can do to our diet… and that goes for our spiritual life, as well.
©2013 Debbie Robus
No comments:
Post a Comment