Avocados are one of the hardest things to buy. Too hard and you can’t use them. Too soft and you can’t use them. Sometimes you take one home and think it’s perfect and still – you can’t use it. It might look perfect on the outside, be the perfect level of squishiness and when you cut into it? Rotten.
There’s nothing worse than being so excited to dig into something only to discover that somewhere deep inside it has started to rot. It quickly goes from delightful to disgusting and you throw it away. You don’t want to keep anything rotten around, do you?
Oh friends.
We’re about to get real. Like uncomfortably real.
Today’s Reading
- Read Proverbs 14:30 in any Scripture translation you prefer.
- Now, grab a notebook, post-it, or note card and write it out.
Here’s the HCSB version:
“A tranquil heart is life to the body,
but jealousy is rottenness to the bones.”
Oh y’all. You know it, don’t you? The way that jealousy can rot away at the best parts of us, from the inside out. Absolutely nothing about jealousy and envy is in line with the way that God wants us to live. When we live like Christ we are fruitful, thriving, growing where God planted us because we are rooted in Him. Our hearts are tranquil.
Jealousy comes from a place of pride that says what we’ve been given isn’t good enough. Which means we’re telling God that He messed up – He missed giving us a blessing, a gift, an opportunity that we think we deserve. We’re saying that we know better, can do better, are owed more. Our talents and gifts are God given and meant to be used for His glory and to serve one another. When we start viewing them through that self-ambition lens?
Rottenness to the bones.
It hurts to think of it that way, isn’t it? But that’s exactly what envy does to our hearts, from the inside out. On the outside we might look great – doing all the right things, in all the right spaces, perfectly ready for whatever it is we’re about to do, but deep down it’s a mess. I’m so grateful God can heal all things – even the rotten parts of me – but we need to recognize them first and then allow Him to do the hard work of removing those parts of our lives. It won’t feel good. But it will be worth it.
Questions:
- Do you have any rotten areas you need God to heal?
- When was the last time you had a tranquil heart?
- Did you know that to find a perfect avocado at the store, pop off that little stem – if it’s still green, it’s still good!
I have an avocado sitting on my kitchen counter just as soft as soft can be! I buy them and then I forget about them. I’m loving this series, Crystal.
I’ve been having those thoughts and feelings as well and I’ve just skirted around not calling it what it really is, jealousy. I’m searching and longing for that tranquil heart.
Good stuff! Love your avocado analogy.