Are you a carrot, egg or coffee bean?

How are you coping with the pressures around you? How are you coping with the difficulties you are facing? How’s your approach to adversity? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?

A young woman went to her mother and complained to her about her life, and about how difficult everything was for her. She did not know how she was going to make it. She was on the verge of giving up. She was just tired of fighting and struggling. It seemed as soon as one problem was solved, a new one arose.

Her mother took her to the kitchen. She filled three pots with water. 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, without saying a word.

In about twenty minutes, she turned off the burners. She fished the carrots out and placed them in a bowl. She lifted the eggs out and placed them in another bowl. Then she ladled the coffee out and placed it in a cup.

Turning to her daughter, she asked: Tell me, what you see?

Carrots, eggs, and coffee, the daughter replied.

She brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did and noted that the carrots were now soft. She then asked her to take an egg and break it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard-boiled egg. Finally, she asked her to sip the coffee. The daughter smiled, as she tasted its rich aroma.

The daughter then asked: What’s the point, mother?

What’s The Point?

Her mother explained that each of these had faced the same adversity: boiling water. Yet, each had reacted differently.

The carrot went in strong, hard, and unrelenting. However, after being subjected to the boiling water, it softened and became weak.

The egg had been fragile. Its thin outer shell had protected its liquid interior. But, after being through the boiling water, its interior had become hardened.

The ground coffee beans were different, however. After they were in the boiling water, they had changed the water.

Which are you? She asked the daughter.

When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond?

Are you a carrot, an egg, or a coffee bean?

Are you a carrot? 

The carrot appeared hard and strong, but with pain, pressure, heat and adversity, it wilted. It became soft and lost its strength. Do you melt under pressure and when the going gets tough?

Are you an egg? 

The egg started with a malleable heart, but changed with the heat. It had a fluid spirit, but after a death in the family, a breakup, or some other trial, it hardened and stiffened. The outer shell still looks the same. But, on the inside, it became bitter, angry and tough, with a stiff spirit, and a hardened heart.

Are you a coffee bean?

The coffee bean actually changed the hot water, the very circumstance that brought the pain. Under heat and pressure, the coffee released its best, giving flavor and aroma to the surrounding water. Instead of being negatively changed, it changed those around it positively. When the world seems to be a tough place, do you reach out and bless, and uplift those around you?

Don’t tell God how big your storm is. Tell the storm how big your God is!

John 16:33 reads: I have told you this so that you will have peace by being united to me. The world will make you suffer. But be brave! I have defeated the world!

How do you handle adversity? Are you a carrot, an egg, or a coffee bean?

Shout Out!

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Have a blessed day. If this has been a blessing to you, please leave a comment!