Recently a friend of mine raised some interesting tomatoes…they were a maroon colour. I asked her if I could have one and perhaps propagate it. Of course, I had no idea how to do this so asked another friend who advised me to let the seeds dry out. So, I sat the tomato on a shelf in the laundry room. Weeks went by and it gradually became smaller and smaller. Then one day I noticed it had gone bad…very bad. Obviously I wasn’t going at it the right way, so I picked out a dozen seeds and with disgust threw the moldy thing in the garbage.
It isn’t the first or probably the last time I will get instructions that confuse me. Years ago the V.O.N nurse that visited me after my baby was born suggested that I boil the used diapers and that would keep the baby’s rash down. What she neglected to say was to wash the diapers first. The stench of boiled diapers was almost too much. I decided the baby’s bottom would just have to have a good wash and a dust of talcum.
I have the same problem with some of the biblical instructions I find. There is a lot of information about how to treat servants and there have never been any in my house. I also take exception to being told to be quiet in church and not wear earrings. I have on occasion read the message the minister prepared (while he was on holidays) and my earrings are usually gifts from my children or my husband…I am reminded of their love every time I use them… Poor excuses I know.
I attend our Monday night bible study and recently we discussed the value of certain “laws” in the Bible and how they could be interpreted…i.e.: language, tradition, situation, history etc. and whether they were civil, ceremonial, cultural or moral. I’m not sure where my earrings fit—what do you think? And yet, where do you stop with all this? I have a real problem accepting rings in noses and lips…I think they can be a medical problem as both noses and mouths have so many germs incubating in them. I am sure someone could argue that point too.
There is never a guarantee that a choice made will be exactly right and sometimes it can be exactly wrong but we muddle along.
But trusting God with my life has proven to be the best choice I ever made.
