Tuesday, February 01, 2011

Dirt vs. Ice Cream Cake

Well for a Tuesday, today didn't go as well I would've liked it to but I've learnt by now that I can find satisfaction in someone else- Jesus Christ. When the day ends and I reflect on how things could have been done differently or how I would've preferred things to go, it's always nice to refocus and realise that my only true source of peace and joy is not just in track, school or friendships. It is ultimately whether I am right with God or not.

Today I feel blessed by another answered prayer. I have asked God to bring my roommate Alejandra closer to Him and in the past few weeks, she's been really opening up about her faith. Today I saw her struggle spiritually and eventually decide to obey God in spite of all her emotions. How miraculous it is, for a human to deny herself against all odds and to pick up her cross daily!

Yet even as I witnessed her battle within, it also made me take a look at my own thick-headedness. How many times have I chosen to do what I feel like doing rather than what God commands me to do? When all the world is telling you to behave one way, isn't that usually the time to shine for God? Yet time and again, I had buckled under the weight of my sinful pride simply because I refused to put my trust in Christ. I refused to believe that by obeying Him in spite of everything, that things would work out for the better.

Like when I used to react angrily over small things... My ensuing words and actions did not spawn from a spirit of love. They were hurtful and abrasive. They stung like I wanted them to. But what good did that reap? Hate begat more hate. The vicious cycle continued.

From the outside looking in, now I realise how silly and immature I looked all those times I stubbornly chose to do things MY way. We have been born-again as Christians. Why not claim the victory which has been obtained for us in Christ's resurrection by living by the Holy Spirit? I can almost see God shaking His head at me in disappointment whenever I choose the world over His statutes. It's like I'm choosing to eat dirt instead of ice cream cake.

Think of it this way. The dirt is nicely wrapped in pretty packaging and sold by beautiful models. The ice-cream cake is wrapped in soggy muddy newspaper and is sold by rugged-looking souls. If you never looked under the surface, which one would you rather eat?

God's Word (a la the Bible) reveals to Christians what is really under the surface of things. As we obey His Word, he grants us wisdom and discernment. The world cannot see these things. They run after package after package of dirt and wolf it down without knowing the existence of the ice cream cake under the dirty newspaper wrapping. They laugh at us and say "why would you want to eat THAT?!"

Time and again, after being fooled by the nice packaging and the cool labelling, eating the worldly dirt just gives me headaches, heartaches and all sorts problems. But now that I've actually tasted the ice cream cake, I never want to eat dirt again. How much more silly I must look when I start to think that the dirt looks more delicious than the ice cream cake! I must remember that underneath all that swanky exterior, dirt is dirt and ice cream cake is ice cream cake.



1 comment:

borderline said...

great post Min, so true!