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One morning, God used a tomato to remind me of an important truth. The tomato, blood-red but tinged green on the top, had been plucked that week from my Mother’s garden. As I stood by my kitchen sink, slicing out Quite a contrast to the little round fruit I held in my hand that weekday morning, which was ultimately headed for a sandwich I would quickly eat before leaving for work. Yes, my tomato was far from perfect. But its brilliant red skin grabbed my eye in a way the store-bought kind never does. Once the core was removed, I saw a little pool of juice sitting inside - something I never find in a “perfect” tomato. And the taste - rich and flavorful - beat its mass-produced cousin hands down. I see a lot of me - and people in general - in that naturally grown, imperfect tomato. We’ve got some scars, some deep, most likely some nicks and bruises too. Though we know we’re not perfect, we often aspire to be anyway. We strive for the perfect body, the perfect job, the perfect mate, the perfect life. Sometimes we think we’ve actually attained one or some of these goals, but on closer inspection, find reality doesn’t quite match up with the image we’ve cultivated in our minds. As with my packaged tomatoes, what seems perfect can look great on the outside, but winds up lacking what matters most - real flavor. Surprisingly, things that are less than perfect can produce great returns. We are imperfect people by nature, but Jesus Christ can use those imperfections to teach us a “more perfect way.” If we provide Him with a willing and obedient heart, He can use the Holy Spirit to transform us, enabling us to become the best God calls us to be. That best allows us to benefit others and ourselves as He works fully within us. Paul the apostle says that God gives each believer various gifts and ministries to help others, specifically chosen by Him and enabled by the Holy Spirit: “There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit, God can use us mightily despite our imperfections. In fact, God often uses our imperfections to illuminate His greatness and His ability to mature us and produce fruit in our lives that others will find flavorful, appealing and satisfying. How does this happen? Often by using things that seem small but can make a huge difference in someone’s life. Like prayer. Many of us often underestimate the power of Godly prayer. But James, one of the early fathers of the Church, tells us “the effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much” (James 5:16). If you know someone who is going through a difficult time, pray for them. Ask Jesus to minister to his or her needs and provide comfort. As I do, you might not always know exactly what to say. But if your heart is open and yielded, the Holy Spirit will use it and present it to the Father in the best way, where it can be received by Him: “… For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God” (Romans 8:26 - 27). We also can use our imperfections in a positive way when we share how God ministered to us during tough times in our life. We can talk about our failures - when we didn’t wait for Him, when we doubted He would sustain us, when we might have turned our backs on Him as we pursued our desires before Him. In being open about our own stumbles in walking with Christ, we can allow our own experiences to show that just as God helps us, He helps others where he or she needs it most. Sometimes, God calls us to help others by just being there. Not doing, just being. We may not fully understand what someone is going through, but we can care enough to be there for them when loneliness, sadness or anger becomes almost suffocating. Recognizing our own flaws - those God has helped us overcome and others we still are working to transform through Him - will make us more understanding of others as they travel through the rough, rocky patches of their own life. Throughout life, God will use our imperfections to hone us into people who can attain His best, if we are obedient to His will. We do have a truly perfect guide to inspire us, in our Lord Jesus Christ. Each opportunity we seize through our faith in Him to bear fruit - love, joy, peace, longsuffering (patience), kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control - gives Jesus glory, as those who worship Him are designed to do. For those who have embraced His gift of salvation, our fruit marks us as His. Paul comments:“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10). Jesus confirms the value of producing fruit:“If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples” (John 15:7 - 8). Just like the less-than-perfect tomato that holds succulent flavor inside that makes a great-tasting meal, God can use His perfect power through our imperfect selves to provide the essential ingredient that ministers to others. We won’t often know when or how we will be used until we’re right in the middle of a situation. We may think that we have nothing much to add. But what we contribute will be just right for the occasion, in Jesus’ hands. All we need to offer is faith in Him, and a heart sensitive to others. ©Copyright 2003 Ann Pinkney. All rights reserved.
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several dark slits radiating from its core, I thought of how different it looked from the “perfect” specimens I buy from grocery stores. The pre-packaged variety, shrink-wrapped and neatly lined in green plastic trays, are always the same size and shape, their uniform appearance blandly reassuring, rarely displaying a mark, dent or slash.