"Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy." (NJK)
Lately, Ken and I have been trying to eat more healthily. As part of that, I have been cooking a lot of onions. (They are very good for you.) Now onions come in many sizes and colors. But they almost all share one thing in common: they are onion-y! You can smell them, even from a distance.
Once you start cutting into an onion, the pungent odor increases, almost geometrically. That odor can make anyone near have tears in their eyes from the fumes that are released. But then, the best part, is to throw the cut-up onion into the frying pan. At first not much happens. But then, after time, the onion begins to soften. It becomes more transparent. And after enough time, the onion begins to sweeten, to carmelize. It gets to the point when you can eat the onion by itself it’s so sweet. Cutting and cooking the onion takes it from pungent to sweet and delicious.
I think that I am often like that onion. I can be so defensive that I repel others with my smell. Oh, it’s not a physical smell (at least, I hope not!), but rather a spiritual smell. I become critical and judgmental rather than exuding the fruit of the Spirit. So Father God, in His infinite wisdom, puts me into a fiery trial—literally cutting me up into pieces and throwing me into His holy frying pan. I may moan and cry, but the result is that I begin to soften and to become more transparent, allowing His Spirit to shine out through me. And eventually, I become sweeter and much more palatable to those around me.
"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit" (Galatians 5:22-25 NKJ).
The fruit of the Spirit is kindness and gentleness, self-control and longsuffering. These are the things we develop as we go through suffering and trials. It is only then that we surrender to the Lord and allow His sweetness to shine through us.
I don’t know that I will never stop being an onion (until heaven). I’m strong and stubborn. But the more I surrender to the trials that the Lord brings, the more I will become like Him and allow His glory to be revealed through me.
© 2013 Robin L. O’Hare. All Rights Reserved. Permission granted for nonprofit and church groups to use this article in its entirety (including this notice). For other uses, please contact servinggodalone@yahoo.com.
