Greetings - What you read or view in this blog is a mixture of what I muse on, feel passionately about, wrestle with, and or capture by word or photo. I choose to name this blog amalgam because that is what this blog is. You may also here from other contributors who will add perspective to push you to consider what you believe and why you believe it. -
Tory Campbell - Lead Pastor
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10
Execessive Stirring
June 10, 2010
When I was young, whenever cooking food on the stove I would stir it excessively.
In my mind, the stirring was the key action that determined both the quality and speed of the food's completion. My grandmother saw me one morning doing this ritual, and either out of mercy or annoyance (because of all the noise I was making as my fork clanked against the skittle), she said, “Stop stirring your food so much boy, it ain’t going to cook no faster.”
What I hadn’t realized was that the combination of the temperature of the stove, the ability of the skillet to retain heat, and my occasional stirring would actually produce the quality of eggs I desired. What I learned then was that stirring alone was inadequate to obtain the meal I craved.
As I think back on that conversation from a loving and wise sage, I apply those words to the things that are cooking today -- in my life and in community.
We live in a world that values speed and often we are drawn to excessive behavior fueled by this desire for instant gratification or completion. We become increasingly disappointed when things take longer than we think they should, and often are compelled to tinker, stir excessively, or even give up on them altogether. We can see it in all areas of our lives; the inadequacies we see in our public schools, the lack of children's health care amongst our poorest neighbors, or things in everyday life like the growing of a garden and waiting at a stop light.
We also feel it in our particular case, as a church re-framing our vision to address a changing community landscape. We must understand that there are more components that we often don't recognize which contribute to the change and finished product we yearn to see.
The Bible often instructs us to be still or cease from activity and to wait patiently after doing our part whether it be big or small. Our greatest challenge in those moments is to trust that God is with us and concerned about our community's plight. He is at work to bring forth the quality of change we desire to see in due time.
So it is for you as it was for me, on that day when my grandmother heard all that annoying clanking from my excessive stirring. Hear and receive these faithful words:
Stop stirring your life so much, it ain’t going to cook no faster.
