My scoutmaster walked with me through the forest teaching me how to
identify trees by their leaves, bark, crown and fruit. We came upon one that
stumped me. He plucked a small green bean-like pod and directed me to slowly
bite into it. Immediately my lips began to shrivel into a pout, a mild numbness
set in and an ugly taste set in. He chuckled saying, “I bet you’ll never forget
how to identify a persimmon tree.” Mr. Kelly was right. To this day I have the
persimmon fixed in my memory. There is a direct connection between bitterness
and memory
The acid of bitterness corrodes our spirits when we give way to envy, jealousy,
covetousness, resentment or regret. Bitterness can also be a fever that belies
a broken heart. If our hopes and dreams
are frustrated by others’ actions or various obstinate circumstances, we can
too easily lapse into a season of seething and slow-boiling anger. The disease
of bitterness contaminates every area of our lives; our relationships (even
with our Lord), our decisions, our health, our worldview.
Cynicism is merely bitterness taking on the air of sophistication. One
need only hangout in Facebook land with the wrong crowd to be awash in
cynicism. Most of the time it shows up in “conversations” about politics and
opinions about pop culture. So many Monday morning quarterbacks reveal their “dark
sides” when opining, their bravado often revealing their bluffs. When called on
it, they confirm the presence of withering bitterness. In the aftermath of the
shooting of Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords there was a groundswell call for
more civility in public discourse; the judgment made that there was far too
much vitriol in public discourse. The pundits diagnosed that political passions
had become packaged in bitter diatribes leveled between various factions.
Hope deferred serves as a litmus test for where we are putting our ultimate
confidence. If we find ourselves disappointed in our spouse or children, we may
need to inquire “what is the source of my joy? What is robbing me of genuine
gratitude? What idol(s) has bitterly disappointed me? (After all, it’s not as if they can actually see, hear or
understand us.) Biblical hope is a
confident expectation about the future. This confidence is best placed in the
character of God demonstrated in living promises. “I will never leave you or
forsake you.”
When we “vote against our guts” choosing to believe God’s faithfulness we
know something of what Moses experienced at Marah:
"And
when they came to Marah, they could not drink of the waters of Marah for they
were bitter: therefore the name of it was called Marah. And the people murmured
against Moses, saying, what shall we drink? And he cried unto the Lord, and the
Lord showed him a tree, which when he had cast into the waters, the waters were
made sweet." (Exodus 15:23-25)
.
Christ upon
the cross is that Branch which the Father tossed into the bitter waters of our sin
and misery, our disappointments in ourselves, others (and even God). In
becoming sin for us he took our sin replacing it with the “oil of gladness.” In
that great transaction of grace, embraced in childlike trust we realize “the
joy of the Lord is our strength.” (Nehemiah 8:10)
See you at the Potter's wheel!
G.K. Sexton
“See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no “root of
bitterness” springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled;” Hebrews 12:15 (ESV)
No comments:
Post a Comment