Everything In Its Place

The other day on a whim I bought a pineapple.  I'd never done that before.  We usually get canned pineapple when we need some.  We don't eat it straight up, instead using it for recipes and such.  A whole pineapple would be way too much for that.  But whole pineapples were cheap and I decided, "What the heck!  Let's try it!"

I cut off the rind and made the pineapple into bite-sized chunks fairly easily.  Then it was time to taste.  Now, I wasn't expecting Hawaii-level, right-out-of-the-field excellence.  Still, it was hard to avoid thinking, "That's it?!?" as I finished my first bite.  It was OK.  Just OK.  You know...mostly pineapple-tasting.  I shrugged and stuck the rest of the chunks in a container in the fridge.

The next day I went to the fridge and saw the container there.  I wasn't that enthused about diving into it, but I figured since I had bought the thing we better eat it.  I opened it and pulled out a chunk as I was going through some mail.  

Whoa...whoa...whoa...whoa...WHOA!!!  MAN!!!!  A few hours in that refrigerator had completely transformed my pineapple!  It was cold and juicy and sweet...like CANDY!  I immediately grabbed pieces and started snarfing them down.  I even considered not telling anyone else in the house so it could be mine, mine...ALL MINE!  (I did end up eating most of it anyway, as it turns out.  Happy me!)

Faith is kind of like that pineapple.  Despite what paintings from medieval masters tell you, God's people don't usually come pre-equipped with halos over their head and a spotlight from heaven following them everywhere they go.  In fact, in most situations God's people look pretty ordinary.  But if you find the right context--the place where that person is really in tune with their gifts and the world--all of a sudden you get that "WHOA!" experience.  It might be singing or parenting or repairing something or teaching...you never know when you're going to see the best in someone come out, getting a great sense of God's purpose in the process.  Pineapple ain't pineapple until you stick it in the fridge.  People need the faith fridge to bring out the best in them too.

This is one of the reasons it's important to keep the church experience open and varied.  If you only do three things you only make room for three people.  Even if those three things are great you never draw the gifts out of anyone you don't know already.  If you make church a cornucopia of goodness then everybody has the chance to shine in one way or another.  Being different helps us see differently too and appreciate the gifts God has given us.

--Pastor Dave (pastordave@geneseelutheranparish.org)