The Orange Pitcher
Rev. John R. Greene, Evangelist
Have you ever had a job? Some question, huh? Of course you've had a job, many jobs, and you probably still have one if you're still alive. What do you do with them? How about a problem? Follow along with me.
There, sitting on the small counter, was the gallon-size, orange pitcher used to mix and hold the koolaid, the duty of my son. At the tender age of nine, he doesn't cook, drive, nor have a full time job, but he is a part of the family. As such, he must be given a sense of belonging, and fit into the family for self worth. He has been given two jobs: one job is emptying the garbage, and the other is making the koolaid.
It may seem trivial to some, but making koolaid helps to shape and mold my son and builds self-esteem. This is critical to a healthy and mature heart and mind, and promotes unity in the family. In today's society, the family is almost ancient as is evidenced in its breakup during the last 20 years.
Responsibility is effective in molding character. Accountability maintains the honesty of the relationship, any relationship (i.e. work, spouse, father-daughter, God-man etal). In the times that we deny or ignore our duty, it is found in the accountability, if it is upheld.
The orange pitcher just sat there. My son entered the kitchen, went to the counter, promptly pushing aside his responsibility, not once, but twice to do something else on the counter. This happened in the afternoon. The next day, the koolaid still not mixed, was a repeat of the day before! My son went to the counter, pushed aside the pitcher, and did something else. Once again, he knew his responsibility, but he denied it, pushing it aside to do something else.
As Christians, how often do we push aside God and His love letter, the Bible for something else? We will always have a duty as Christians to go to church, to pray, to read His Word, to love one another and the like, so why do we push aside our obligations?
Soon and very soon, we will stand before God and be held accountable for our lives! What will you say to God then?? Try some of these choices: 1) Sorry God, I didn't know better. 2) Jesus, I did the best that I could. 3) Sorry God, I didn't have time. 4) Jesus, you wouldn't believe it, but my dog ate my Bible.
What are you doing with your orange pitcher?
Email me, John Greene