Journal 2006

A new member has recently joined a committee on which I serve, and already Satan has been at work in our midst to try to destroy our unity. It’s a wonder that any group ever gets anything accomplished! We’re all wounded people, each with different personalities and backgrounds and agendas. And to meld a group in unity is surely a God-thing!

It takes all kinds of spices on the spice rack to flavor food. Each of us, individually, carry our own mix of spices, giving us a unique flavor. When certain flavors mix together, the dish becomes richer. Some people are a good fit for each other. But when other flavors are blended, you get bitterness or strangeness. And sometimes we have to get used to a new taste.

I think I have a little too much pepper and not enough sugar in my personality. But then, maybe pepper and sugar don’t belong in the same dish. Perhaps I’m lemon, not pepper. If lemon is too tart, it puckers the mouth. And if there’s too much sugar added, it doesn’t leave the palate with a satisfying tang. I sometimes wish I had a sweeter personality or a less serious one. And so I learn to accept the spice that God has assigned to my temperament, and I give Him permission to add the flavor (life experiences) to balance me out.

A 2025 Update. Sadly, the committee eventually disintegrated. I suspect the new member had some toxins in her jar that left a bitter aftertaste when mixed with other spices.