Are You a Carrot, an Egg or a Coffee Bean?
A young woman went to her mother and told her about her life and how things were so hard for her. She didn't know how she was going to make it and wanted to give up. She was so tired of fighting and struggling, it seemed as if when one problem was solved a new one occurred.
Her mother took her to the kitchen. She filled three pots with water. In the first pot, she placed carrots. In the second pot, she placed eggs and in the last pot, she placed ground coffee beans. Without saying a word, she let them sit and boil.
About twenty minutes later, she turned off the burners. She spooned the carrots out and placed them in a bowl. Next, she spooned the eggs out and placed them in a separate bowl. Finally, she ladled the coffee out and placed in into another separate bowl. Then she turned to her daughter and asked, "Tell me, what do you see?"
"Carrots, eggs and coffee." the daughter replied.
She brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. The daughter did and noticed that they were now soft and tender.
She then asked her to take the egg and break it. The daughter cracked the egg and after taking the shell off, she observed it very closely.
Finally, she asked her to smell and sip the coffee. The daughter smiled as she smelled and tasted it's rich aroma. Then she asked , "Okay, what's your point, mother?"
The wise mother explained that each of the three objects had faced the same adversity --- boiling water --- but each reacted differently. The carrot went in too strong, hard and unrelenting. But after being subjected to the boiling water, it softened and became weak. The egg had been fragile. It's thin outer shell had protected it's liquid interior. But after sitting through the boiling water, it's inside became hardened. The ground coffee beans were unique. After they were in the boiling water they had changed the water.
"Which are you?" she asked her daughter. "When trials and adversity knock on your door, how do you respond? Are you a carrot, an egg, or a coffee bean?"
INSIGHT:
Think of this --- Which am I?
Am I the carrot that seems strong but with pain and adversity I wilt and become soft and lose my strength?
Am I the egg that starts with a passive heart but changes with the heat? Did I have a liquid spirit but after a death, a financial hardship or some other setback, 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 coffee bean? The bean actually changes the hot water --- the very circumstance that brings the pain. When the water gets hot it releases the fragrance and flavor. If you are like the bean, when things are at the worst, you become better and change the situation around you. When the hours are the darkest and trials are their greatest, do you elevate to another level?
How do you handle adversity? Like the CARROT, the EGG or the COFFEE BEAN? Which one are you?
Isaiah 40:30 Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;
Isaiah 40:31 but those who hope in the LORD
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint. -- NIV--