A
young woman went to her mother and told her that things were so hard
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 as soon as
one problem was solved a new one arose.
Her
mother 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 tea leaves. She let them sit and boil without saying a
word. In 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 tea out into a bowl.
Turning to her daughter, she asked, “What do you see?”
“Carrots, eggs, and tea,” she replied.
Her
mother brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did
and noted that they were 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 tea. The daughter smiled as she
tasted its rich aroma.
The daughter then asked. “What does it mean, mother?”
Her
mother 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 tea
leaves were unique, however. After they were in the boiling water they
had changed the water.
“Which
are you?” she asked her daughter. “When adversity knocks on your door,
how do you respond? Are you a carrot, an egg, or tea leaves?”
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 loved
one’s death, a relationship 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 tea leaves?
The tea leaves actually change the hot water, the very circumstance
that brings the pain. When the water gets hot, it releases the fragrance
and flavor. If I am like the tea leaves,when things are at their worst,
I get better and change the situation around me through
Christ-likeness.
