Jul
21
2017

Cherries And Olives

Posted in Salvation | Leave a comment

She works in the floral department of my grocery store.
She and I have become friends.
The first time I talked to her, she was inflating three balloons for me.
We talked about family, our culture, losing a loved one, and hard work.

We just solved the problems of the world, I teased as she handed me my balloons.
That conversation seemed to solidify the two of us as kindred spirits.
I gave that name to us that day since we thought so much alike.
She seemed to know the Anne of Green Gables reference to Anne and Diana.

Every time I see her, we chat for a bit.
I remember the things we talk about so I can ask her about them the next time.
She uses her creativity in floral arranging.
I use my creativity with words.

As I turned down the aisle with the detergents and cleaning supplies, I saw her.
She was pushing a shopping cart.
Are you done for the day? I asked her.
I am, she said, I had to take advantage of the coupon and buy some cherries.

I saw a large bag of cherries in her small shopping cart.
I love fruit but cherries are the one fruit I do not enjoy, I admitted.
That’s okay, she said, we can’t all like the same things.
I decided that this fruit was where our kindred spirits differed.

I wondered if I should admit why I never eat cherries.
I wondered if the reason seemed too ridiculous.
I thought I would take a chance.
I knew that somehow she would understand.

I do not eat cherries because I do not know what to do with the pits, I said honestly.
She laughed quite hard.
I knew it was a ridiculous reason once the words were spoken.
There was no taking it back now that it was said.

I just could not leave it alone.
I had to add some more fuel to the fire.
I struggled with olives, too, I told her.
I love a certain Greek restaurant and remember the day precisely.

I went to lunch with my dear friend.
She noticed that the wonderful Greek olives were on the side of my plate, uneaten.
Why are you leaving your olives? My friend asked in all sincerity.
Because I don’t like the pits, I admitted.

My dear friend laughed as hard as the woman in the grocery store.
After she composed herself, she picked up an olive and ate one.
She discretely removed the pit and laid it aside.
I hardly noticed she did that until I saw the pit on the side of her plate.

So it was possible.
Somehow, spitting something out of your mouth at a restaurant did not seem too appealing.
However, I saw that it could be done discreetly.
I now enjoy every olive that my Aegean salad contains.

Perhaps if I try cherries again, using the same pit removal technique, I might enjoy them.
Then I can tell my kindred spirit at the grocery store that the fork in the road has been bridged.
I can tell her that the deliciousness of the cherries far exceeds the necessity of removing the pit.
She can laugh again, as I’m sure she will.

Even the word, pit, sounds a bit disgusting.
There is nothing pleasant about the way that word, pit, rolls off your tongue.
I passed a sign on the road that said, grease pit.
The sign was near some construction work; I imagined a grease pit in my mind.

I waited patiently for the Lord; He turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; He set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the Lord. (Psalm 40:1-3)

When we place our faith in Christ alone, we are saved; we are lifted out of the slimy pit.
We have a firm place to stand.
We have a rock under our feet.
We have a firm foundation.

Slimy pits are not places to stand.
In fact, because they are slimy, our feet slip.
We cannot get a good grip.
We can easily fall.

But You brought my life up from the pit, O Lord my God. (Jonah 2:6)

A pit is something you are brought up from so that you can be on solid ground.
A pit is not a place you want to stay.
A pit has the connotation of being trapped.
A pit is not a desirable place to dwell.

There is a way out of the pit.
However, we do not get out of the pit on our own.
We cannot pull ourselves up by our bootstraps and climb out.
We need to be lifted out of the pit by the only One who is able.

I still do not like pits in my food.
I have learned to enjoy Greek olives and dispose of the pit discreetly.
However, cherries may be where I draw the line.
This is where my grocery store friend and I differ, and that’s perfectly okay.

Thank You, sweet Jesus, for going into the pit in my place.
Thank You for lifting me out of the pit and putting my feet on solid ground.
I now have a place to stand.
My feet are firmly on the Rock.

Whispers of His Movement and Whispers in Verse books are now available in paperback and e-book!

http://www.whispersofhismovement.com/book/

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *