A young woman went to her grandmother and told her about her life and how hard things were for her. She did not know how she was going to make it and wanted to give up. She was tired of fighting and struggling. It seemed that once one problem was solved, a new one arose. Her grandmother took her to the kitchen. She filled three pots with water. In the first, she placed carrots, in the second, she placed eggs, and in the last, she placed ground coffee beans. She let them sit and boil without saying a word. After about twenty minutes, she turned off the burners. She fished the carrots out and placed 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 bowl. Turning to her granddaughter, she asked, “Tell me, what do you see?”
“Carrots, eggs, and coffee,” she replied.
She brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did and noted that they had become soft. She then asked her to take an egg and break it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard-boiled egg. Finally, she asked her to sip the coffee. The granddaughter smiled as she tasted its rich aroma.
The granddaughter then asked, “What’s the point, grandmother?”
Her grandmother explained that each of these objects had faced the same adversity—boiling water—but each reacted differently. The carrot went in strong, hard, and unrelenting. However, after being subjected to the boiling water, it softened and became weak. The egg had been fragile. Its thin outer shell had protected its liquid interior. But after sitting through the boiling water, its inside became hardened. The ground coffee beans were unique, however. After they were in the boiling water, they had changed the water.
“Which are you?” she asked her granddaughter. “When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond? Are you a carrot, an egg, or a coffee bean?”
Think of this: Which am I? Am I the carrot that seems strong, but with pain and adversity, do I wilt and become soft and lose my strength? Am I the egg that starts with a malleable heart, but changes with the heat? Did I have a fluid spirit, but after a death, a breakup, a financial hardship, or some other trial, have I become hardened and stiff? Does my shell look the same, but on the inside am I bitter and tough with a stiff spirit and a hardened heart? Or am I like the coffee bean? The bean actually changes the hot water, the very circumstance that brings the pain. When the water gets hot, it releases the fragrance and flavor. If you are like the bean, when things are at their worst, you get better and change the situation around you.
I’m sure many of us have heard this story before, but isn’t it true that we all seem to face the same things in life? It’s not about what we face, but about how we choose to respond. The post this morning was about praying and asking the Lord to change our situations, not realizing that it was the Lord who placed us in that situation to change us. We are always growing, we are always being tested, and we are always going to be tried. The point is to grow and, in growing, we change. We are not to remain the same as we were before coming to Christ, but we are to be growing and maturing Christians. We are to be examples for Him. But we also know that without the test, there is no testimony. So always get through the test and pass it. If not, we will continue being tested until we get it, so to speak. The Lord says that when we were children, we spoke as children and understood as children. But now we are told to put away childish behaviors since we have become adults (1 Corinthians 13:11). We don’t kick and scream when we don’t get our way. We don’t cry over spilled milk, always wearing our feelings on our sleeves. We don’t act childish or talk childish. We are to be wise, smart, kind, loving, and caring. We are to be the ones who set the example for those following us in our actions and in our ways. So let us grow up and be mature in our walks with Jesus, knowing that we represent Him.
Let us not let the storm or problems weigh us down, but know that we are to cast our cares on Jesus, for He cares for us (1 Peter 5:7). No temptation will overtake us, for God promised to always provide a way out (1 Corinthians 10:13). He tells us to take His yoke upon us and to learn from Him, for His yoke is easy and His burden is light (Matthew 11:29). Know that you are God’s child and He will never put more on you than you can bear, for we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us (Philippians 4:13). So let none of us ever forget that!
In Jesus’ name, I ask and pray, Amen and Amen! Be blessed today, my dear sweet friends, and remember wherever you go and whatever you do, be a light for our Father. Much love to you all.
Mandi
KINGDOM MINISTRIES 
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