Love and Ugly Carrots

This morning, Ronald brought in a pathetic little group of carrots. At least he cut off the tops and rinsed them outside a wee bit before he dumped them in a bucket and set them on the counter.

I rinsed the carrots again a little more thoroughly and examined his offering. He said they were so small, I didn’t need to bother with them. But I figured since he had gone to the trouble of digging up the little rascals, the least I could do was to see what I could do with them.

I had listened to a friend’s devotional vlog about asking God to love others as He does. As I looked into the sink, I wondered if this is how I sometimes look at others. The carrots became my object lesson aka ‘God Moment’ for the day.

One carrot was so hairy with rootlets sprouting over its entire body, I was disgusted to even touch it! What if a monster centipede or something like that was hiding in there? Yikes!

Does a person’s appearance, grooming, or even clothing style turn me away from showing God’s love?

Some of the carrots were so deformed, peeling them was awfully challenging. Some even had to have some ‘cosmetic surgery’ before they could be properly cleaned.

Do I fail to offer someone my loving care because they take a little more work than I am willing to give?

For some reason, one carrot looked like it had messed around with a beet gene! It was good sized and a pretty good shape, so I thought maybe it would be okay to eat. Lo and behold! As I peeled away the purple skin, the carrot was the regular orange color underneath!

I always try to remember God’s famous line to Samuel when he was anointing a king for Israel. 1 Samuel 16:7 NKJV ‘For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.’ May I always look with my heart to see another’s heart and help meet the need I see there.

There were some carrots that were VERY small and hard to handle. Hmm. Reminded me of some kids I’ve taught!

Seriously though, anyone who knows me knows what I think of little ones. I love them all like crazy – even the ones that drove me crazy!

Sadly, there were a few carrots that for some reason appeared old and were impossible to peel or clean. They literally fell apart in my hands. And sadly, I was reminded of those to whom I have tried to show God’s love who have gone the exact opposite direction from Biblical truth.

At the end of the process, I think I had more peelings than I did carrots, but I was determined to make good use of them. I ran them through the food processor along with some cauliflower and broccoli. With a bit of butter, a slab or two of Velvetta, a healthy dose of marjoram and one of basil, combined with a big wad of gorgonzola cheese, and a little bit of oven time – Hey! Success from scraps!

Colossians 3:12-14 TLB sums up my thoughts at the end of this weird blog and its message to love others as He loves. ‘Since you have been chosen by God who has given you this new kind of life, and because of His deep love and concern for you, you should practice tenderhearted mercy and kindness to others.’

Blessings

Kara Beth