Good morning…
Like the red, hard blueberry in the plastic pail above, my day began with a bitter mistake, an error in judgement, a disrespectful choice. I did what I could to remedy the situation, but the damage had already been done. Hurt had happened. I was wrong. I felt so bad. I genuinely apologized. Disappointed in myself, I stepped into my day.
Thinking back on my poor decision now, I am drawn back to some grounding wisdom from our book for this semester.
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Excerpt from Simple Faith by Margaret Silf, pages 52-53
The Aramaic language, I understand, often has many layers of meaning, which we translate into just one or a few words in English, thereby missing the depth of the significance that Jesus, an Aramaic speaker, would have understand and intended.
A classic example is the word sin, just one word to signify a great many layers of possible meaning. One of these is the reality that we often experience of missing the mark, of not getting things right, of compromising on our best, of failing to focus on what really matters.
Another layer of meaning is “unripeness.” What if sin is like being an unripe fruit, bitter and unpalatable compared to how it should be when it is fully ripe – or like a fractious child, who is only learning the ways of being a social and un-self-centered human being? What if humanity as a whole is still very unripe, still just teenagers in the scheme of things, or even terrible two-year-olds?
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I missed the mark. I did not get things right. I compromised my best. I failed to focus on what really matters. I served unripe fruit, bitter and unpalatable. I still am only learning how to be an un-self-centered human being.
The word sin alone is ugly, sharp, confining. With multiple definitions, I like having many layers of meaning to mull over.
Mull is a soft four letter word. To think about extensively. Ponder. Consider. Chew on. Contemplate. Reflect. Ruminate. Think out. Think over. Think through. That’s what I did with God throughout the day. When I was given a new opportunity in the afternoon, I made a different, better choice as God had widened the awareness of my maturing heart.
Why do I tell you about my bitter mistake, sin’s multi-layered definition, and the ripening of my heart?
As we head into extended time with loved ones this Thanksgiving week, we bring with us varying levels of ripeness. All of us will miss the mark. None of us will always get things right. Our best will be compromised. We will fail to focus on what really matters. All of us are still learning the ways of being social, un-self-centered human beings. None of us are fully ripe.
When we or someone else serves hard and bitter fruit, might we be willing to mull over the mistake with God? To think it out. To think it over. To think it through. Our own ripening naturally occurs as we reconnect with the Source of life.
Jesus draws us to himself like a patient parent guides a growing toddler. Christ simply says, “Stay joined to me and I will stay joined to you. No branch can produce fruit alone. It must stay connected to the vine. It is the same with you. You cannot produce fruit alone. You must stay joined to me. I am the vine, and you are the branches. If you stay joined to me, and I to you, you will produce plenty of fruit. (Soft, juicy, ripening fruit.) But separated from me you won’t be able to do anything” (John 15:4-5, ERV).
Only God can ripen a heart, over time, at a peaceful pace. Our challenge is to stay joined, to remain connected like a branch bonds with the vine.
…Sue…
