Carrots, Eggs or Coffee?
By Bob Street – Minster of Personal Evangelism
Triumphantlife
“A
carrot, an egg, or a cup of coffee” a modern parable for today…
A
young woman went to her mother and told her about her life and how things were
so hard for her. She did not know how she was going to make it and wanted to
give up. She was tired of fighting and struggling all the time. It seemed as if when one problem was
solved, a new one reared its ugly head.
Her mother took her to the kitchen. She filled three pots with water and placed each on a high fire. Soon the pots came to boil. In the first she placed carrots, in the second she placed eggs, and in the last she placed ground coffee beans. She let them sit and boil; In about twenty minutes she turned off the burners.
She fished the carrots out and placed them in a bowl.
She pulled the eggs out and placed them in a bowl.
Then she ladled the coffee out and placed it in a bowl.
Turning to her daughter, she asked, 'Tell me which you want the carrots, the eggs, or coffee,' she inquired. The young women sat frozen in indecision.
Her mother brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did and noted that they were soft.
Then the mother asked the daughter to take an egg and break it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard-boiled egg.
Finally, the mother asked the daughter to sip the coffee. The daughter smiled as she tasted its rich aroma.
The daughter then asked, 'What does it all mean, mother?'
Her mother explained that each of these items had faced the same adversity: boiling water.
Each reacted differently. The carrot went in strong, hard, and unrelenting. However, after being subjected to the boiling water, they softened and became weak.
The egg had been fragile. Its thin outer shell it's only protection for its liquid interior, but after sitting through the boiling water, its inside became hardened.
The ground coffee beans were unique, however. After they were in the boiling water, they had changed the water surrounding them.
'Which are you?' she asked her daughter. 'When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?
Think of this: Which am I? Am I the carrot that seems strong, but with pain and adversity do I wilt, become soft, and lose my strength? Or am I the egg that starts with a malleable heart, but changes with the heat? Did I once have a fluid spirit, but after a death, a breakup, a financial hardship or some other trial, did my spirit become hardened and stiff? Does my shell look the same on the outside, but on the inside am I bitter and tough with a stiff spirit and hardened heart?
Or am I like the coffee bean? The bean actually changes the hot water, the very circumstance that brings the pain. When the water gets hot, it releases it's fragrance and flavor.
If you are like the bean, when things are at their worst, you get better and change the situation around you.
When the hour is the darkest and trials are their greatest do you elevate yourself to another level? How do you handle adversity? Have you been a carrot or an egg? But now you want to be the coffee bean?
Remember, to be a coffee bean, you must take Jesus to be your Lord and Savior. Jesus said, “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:29-30 (NIV)
You cannot be a coffee bean without Jesus as your Lord and Savior.
If you would like to receive Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior right now, click here.
Her mother took her to the kitchen. She filled three pots with water and placed each on a high fire. Soon the pots came to boil. In the first she placed carrots, in the second she placed eggs, and in the last she placed ground coffee beans. She let them sit and boil; In about twenty minutes she turned off the burners.
She fished the carrots out and placed them in a bowl.
She pulled the eggs out and placed them in a bowl.
Then she ladled the coffee out and placed it in a bowl.
Turning to her daughter, she asked, 'Tell me which you want the carrots, the eggs, or coffee,' she inquired. The young women sat frozen in indecision.
Her mother brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did and noted that they were soft.
Then the mother asked the daughter to take an egg and break it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard-boiled egg.
Finally, the mother asked the daughter to sip the coffee. The daughter smiled as she tasted its rich aroma.
The daughter then asked, 'What does it all mean, mother?'
Her mother explained that each of these items had faced the same adversity: boiling water.
Each reacted differently. The carrot went in strong, hard, and unrelenting. However, after being subjected to the boiling water, they softened and became weak.
The egg had been fragile. Its thin outer shell it's only protection for its liquid interior, but after sitting through the boiling water, its inside became hardened.
The ground coffee beans were unique, however. After they were in the boiling water, they had changed the water surrounding them.
'Which are you?' she asked her daughter. 'When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?
Think of this: Which am I? Am I the carrot that seems strong, but with pain and adversity do I wilt, become soft, and lose my strength? Or am I the egg that starts with a malleable heart, but changes with the heat? Did I once have a fluid spirit, but after a death, a breakup, a financial hardship or some other trial, did my spirit become hardened and stiff? Does my shell look the same on the outside, but on the inside am I bitter and tough with a stiff spirit and hardened heart?
Or am I like the coffee bean? The bean actually changes the hot water, the very circumstance that brings the pain. When the water gets hot, it releases it's fragrance and flavor.
If you are like the bean, when things are at their worst, you get better and change the situation around you.
When the hour is the darkest and trials are their greatest do you elevate yourself to another level? How do you handle adversity? Have you been a carrot or an egg? But now you want to be the coffee bean?
Remember, to be a coffee bean, you must take Jesus to be your Lord and Savior. Jesus said, “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:29-30 (NIV)
You cannot be a coffee bean without Jesus as your Lord and Savior.
If you would like to receive Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior right now, click here.
