I remember when I was a young girl that I was used as the official taste tester for many food items. I love food and I speak my mind so it worked out well for me on many occasions. However, on one occasion, a family member cooked something in the kitchen while potpourri was in the vicinity. The dish was macaroni salad. The debut event was a family gathering. The taste testing began. Wait? What is this taste? It doesn’t taste pleasant. It doesn’t taste like anything close to macaroni salad. Loudly, I proclaimed: “This tastes like soap.” Nonetheless, I embarrassed my family member. Soon enough, the mistake was realized. The potpourri was absorbed by the salad.
Today’s verse is 1 Corinthians 7:31. The NLT reads: “Those who use the things of the world should not become attached to them. For this world as we know it will soon pass away.” The Passion Translation says it this way: “We are to live as those who live in the world but are not absorbed by it.” Consider again the macaroni salad. The salad spent so much time around the potpourri that it left the biggest mark. Besides it visually appearing like macaroni salad, and despite a majority of the ingredients being those used to make macaroni salad, this time spent with the potpourri caused irreversible damage. Imagine now this is speaking about us and the world. Are we spending so much time focused on the world that we are forgetting this is temporary and will pass away? Are we allowing the world to change us instead of us changing the world? Are we starting to taste like soap? If we were taste testing you today, would you taste like the world? Are you so invested in this place that you are missing the Kingdom?
Ask the Spirit to help teach you to number your days. Fix your eyes on Jesus and His kingdom. Be thankful for God’s provision for you today. Yet remember that it is just that — provision. We weren’t meant to be held down by the things of this world. We weren’t meant to build earthly kingdoms. We weren’t meant to be owned by our property. We also weren’t meant to pick up the ways of this world. Let us not be absorbed.
Lord, teach us to number our days. Help us to remember that life is but a breath. Keep us present but keep us also fixed on Jesus. We thank You for providing our every need. We thank You for your calling on our lives. Strengthen and empower us to keep on the narrow path. May all that we do and say glorify You! In Jesus’ Name. Amen!
Tania Gutekunst 