There’s a lot to be said about the skill it takes to peel a tomato…
It’s been a long, long time since that statement ran through my mind.
It happened as I grabbed one to peel Monday. As soon as I picked it up, I pictured my grandfather standing over the sink, pulling out his pocket knife, and peeling it perfectly.
And when I mean perfectly, I mean peeling it without interruption. Starting and finishing with one long peel left in the sink.
He’d always just look up, wink and smile at me when he finished.
He was a master with that pocket knife. Could whittle anything. He always amazed me the things he could do with that knife and his fingers.
He had this big, rough hands. Hands that had worked on a farm for his entire life. Hands that had been to war. Hands that always thought were strong enough to crush steel.
How in the world could he make those strong hands hold that mater and peel it perfectly?
Such good memories of him and growing up on the farm. They all seem to flood back in while I was holding that tomato standing over the sink looking out the window. And I could hear him and God speaking a lesson to me…
So…
Have you ever peeled a tomato?
I know many of you probably have cut a tomato. Lopping off the top and bottom and tossing some slices on a place.
I know others have just chopped it in a processor or some gadget to get the desired texture of what you were looking to use the tomato for.
But…
Have you ever PEELED a tomato?
Ok… I know…
What in the world is ole Smalls asking?!?
Where in the sam-heck is he going with this mater thing?
Well, it’s a pretty simple question with a powerful analogy.
To peel a tomato, you need two things… pressure and patience.
To start, you have to apply the right amount of pressure. Too little pressure and the knife will not pierce the skin allowing you to remove the outer layer. Too much pressure and you’re going to have you a hand full of mush within a second.
It’s different for each tomato and for each person.
You almost have to take in the tomato for a second to get a feel for the situation on how and where you need to apply the pressure.
Second, you also need patience. You may have found the right pressure to apply, but if you lose your patience along the way, you’re not going to be able to finish what you’ve started. The desired results are simply never going to turn out go for you or the tomato.
Patience is the discipline of practice. Your approach. Your focus. Your environment. What is happening around you all goes into how this particular peeling will go. Patience is the only way to keep consistency.
As I started peeling the tomato, I couldn’t help but think about all this and all that is happening in our world…
Some days we are the tomato…
Sometimes, especially during all of this, we feel like the weight of the world is about to crush us. There is no polishing or removing of a layer God needs us to shed. It’s just full-on, squeeze.
Other times, we feel like there are just little darts being thrown at us. You can feel God working on you during this time. But there is no way you’re going to let anything peel back a layer. Especially right now.
Some days we are the peeler…
We apply the pressure so tight our family and business partners can’t function. We are trying to figure out how to control things in all the wrong ways. We are squeezing in ways or areas we shouldn’t and end up choking the life out of others.
We also forget to add just a nudge or hug to let someone know we are with them at times. We allow the numbness of social media, streaming and the situation remove us completely. We take things so easy we forget that we need to keep the world turning.
3 You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. 4 So don’t try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way. 5 If you don’t know what you’re doing, pray to the Father. He loves to help. You’ll get his help, and won’t be condescended to when you ask for it. 6 Ask boldly, believingly, without a second thought. People who “worry their prayers” are like wind-whipped waves. 7 Don’t think you’re going to get anything from the Master that way, 8 adrift at sea, keeping all your options open. 9 When down-and-outers get a break, cheer! 10 And when the arrogant rich are brought down to size, cheer! Prosperity is as short-lived as a wildflower, so don’t ever count on it. 11 You know that as soon as the sun rises, pouring down its scorching heat, the flower withers. Its petals wilt and, before you know it, that beautiful face is a barren stem. Well, that’s a picture of the “prosperous life.” At the very moment everyone is looking on in admiration, it fades away to nothing. 12 Anyone who meets a testing challenge head-on and manages to stick it out is mighty fortunate. For such persons loyally in love with God, the reward is life and more life. 13 Don’t let anyone under pressure to give in to evil say, “God is trying to trip me up.” God is impervious to evil, and puts evil in no one’s way.
James 1:3-13
God wants us to experience a full life in every aspect. The pressure we put on ourselves and others most times are not from Him. It is the enemy pushing us beyond what we think are limits are.
But God knows, with Him, we can handle anything. He gives us the balance of pressure and patience through His grace and love for us and others. His desire to want to have a relationship with us is so great He peruses us constantly no matter what we do. When our pressure and patience are out of balance, He is standing there waiting for us to lean on Him to bring back peace and order in the depths of chaos.
As i finished peeling that tomato, failed miserably. Just like my life and my walk with Him most days.
I ended up with about four strips of peel in the sink and at least one of the slices was more juice than meat.
But that was ok.
God had given me something special in those few moments…
A word for you and me to take hold to and gain hope in. Lord knew I need to be doing better to lead my business and family during this time. He spoke to me greatly in those few moments.
And, selfishly, I got a vision of grandpa winking at me and smiling…
So…
Have you ever PEELED a tomato?
Good luck and godspeed in finding your tomato to peel today.
Can’t wait to hear about how it went…
Lord, thank you for our memories. Thank you for allowing us to see you in everything we do and see daily. God, guide me to lead and follow your call with just the right amount of pressure and patience. Don’t let me squeeze the life out of what you are trying to accomplish with me and with others. Let me be ripe and perfect to deliver what you need me. In Jesus name, AMEN!
woodysmalls 