Recently I noticed that the lemon tree in my yard had
an abundance of lemons that had fallen to the ground and even more still on the
tree. This in itself is unexpected because we do nothing to help this tree
along. The sprinklers don’t reach it, we don’t water, no fertilizer, nothing.
Yet, here were all the lemons. So I collected the ones from the ground; most of
them were too far gone to be useful. Then I took a basket and picked the ripe
ones (that I could reach) from the tree. And, just in time because my bottle of
non-concentrated lemon juice was almost empty. The lemons look so pretty in my
blue bowl. And I was thankful for the bounty.
I started thinking about a lemon. If you bite into it
like an orange, whoa doggie!! That is sure sour! Oh my gosh… can you say pucker
up and spit it out? And you might be tempted to ask, “What were you thinking
God?” Yet, when we squeeze a bit of lemon on a salad or in a glass of water;
use it to cook some seafood or chicken, the beauty of a lemon shines through.
It adds some freshness to the food and some brightness. There is a sweet side
to the lemons after all.
Then I read Monday’s Gospel reading, Matthew 19:21
Jesus said to him, “If
you wish to be perfect, go, sell your possessions, and give the money to the
poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come follow me.”
Whoa doggie!! This is a lemon of a Gospel – it left a bit of a sour taste with me and certainly made me pucker up & want to spit it out (reject it). And say, “What were you thinking, Jesus? Sell all my possessions, give the money to the poor! I’m not sure I want to do that; I’m not ready to do that. But I want to come with you.”
Jonathan Erdman, who is writing the meditations for
Forward Day by Day this month, made sense of this for me. “It was not too late
for the young man, and it is never too late for you or me-new choices will come
along for all of us. Fail and try again. Seize each opportunity. Learn, grow
and keep moving. We must be patient with ourselves, for we are not on our own;
we are following Jesus.” This might not be an all or nothing choice.
Like squeezing the lemon, maybe I can add some brightness and
freshness to my life story. I can give freely of what I have – my time, my talents, my
money, my possessions, my love. When I give of myself I temper the sourness of the lemon and
brighten someone else’s day. Whether I’m serving at church, offering a shoulder
to a friend, donating to the battered woman’s shelter, taking photos, writing this blog… I’m giving of my possessions & myself to others. I’m walking with Jesus, seizing any opportunity
to learn & grow & give. So, if life gives you lemons, don’t make
lemonade… give, give, give and you will find the flavor and brightness Jesus
has to offer.
Visit Forward Day By Day for meditations on the scriptures here: Forward Day by Day.