Eating Brussels Sprouts
2/14/15
We know that many of us
do not like these glorious vegetables and we also know to what extent some of
us will go to in order to avoid eating them. For those of us who
like these little wonders we sometimes feel isolated and separate from the
majority of others. But in either case we need to recognize that it
takes all kinds of people to make things go around and it is just as important
to realize that no matter what a person likes to eat they are a part of the human
race and part of the overall plan of God. This concept also applies
to a special group of people that are not normally spoken about yet they have
reputations that precede them and who struggle over the decades while they live
with this stigma. So, eat up and enjoy!
I had a conversation the
other day with one of my friends about brussels sprouts and how wonderful they
were. When I mentioned this fact to her she immediately turned and
looked at me and plainly asked “how can you eat those nasty things?” I
said easy and that I put them on a fork move them up to my mouth open my mouth,
and that is when the conversation ended because she hit me. She went on about a five minute explanation
of why she did not like them that included every detail from their color, smell
and texture. I can understand this about Brussels sprouts because
they have a unique flavor and tastes and for a long time I had to use vinegar
with them in order for me not to rethink my choice in
vegetable. However, my love for these wonders continues to grow today,
so much so that I am seriously considering raising them in my garden soon.
While many of us know
that vegetables are good for us, most of us, including myself, could not tell
which vitamins and minerals each vegetable has within their
structures. Some may know that carrots are good for our eyes but why
is that? Others may know that corn and potatoes have certain
starches that our body needs for every day function, but do we know which
starches are in these foods? It would be safe to say that the majority
of us do not know the exact names and specifics of each vitamin and mineral in
vegetables, but we do know that they are good for us. They serve a specific purpose and God knew
that we would need their services at some point in our lives, so He provided a
great resource for these vitamins and minerals, another fantastic opportunity
or option to ensure a healthy life.
It is well known that
many kids have trouble eating their vegetables and some of the methods that
parents have installed to make our children eat them can be quite creative and
hilarious as well. I know that my girls do not eat every vegetable
that I do and it is kind of frustrating sometimes when they turn their noses up
at food that is good for them. But all of us have to endure this
task and it is important that we understand that not everyone is going to
accept the same foods that we like. We have a tendency to joke about
this concept but for many people in this society the game has not been easy to
deal with and for others it has even driven a wedge in between
families. It does seem kind of silly but in reality it is the truth.
My parents did not have
too much trouble with me in this area. Being born and raised in the
south, we had fresh vegetables almost every day and for the most part loved
every variety that was placed in front of me. My parents had a motto
that they would say every once-in-a-while and it still rings true in my head
today. They were never mean or ugly about this saying but they
wanted to make sure that I understood that many people in the world went hungry
and that I should appreciate the food that we had because there could be a day
that I had none and would fall into the same category as millions of other
people. This concept hit home to me and even until this day I say
this short phrase to my girls, hoping that they too will understand the
importance of God’s gift of food and how important good food is to our lives.
What about the kids whose
parents forced them to eat their vegetables and would not let them leave the
table until they did? I have heard many stories of this nature along
my life’s journey and each one of these stories has one of two
endings. Either these kids ended up liking the vegetables or they
still cannot stand them today. This is a common result of what
occurs when people are forced into doing something that they do not approve of
at first. The degree of “force” that is used in this method also
plays a factor in how kids respond to vegetables, along with other conditions
and situations, down the road. I know that at the time of incident,
the parents probably are not thinking about how their children will act when
they are adults concerning this issue or how they will approach this issue with
their children along the way. But in every case, some type of
procedural catch will arise in the future whether in the mind or in the heart.
What about our Christian
lives do they or can they fall into this same category? More
specifically what about the lives of preacher’s kids? Ever thought
about comparing a preacher’s kid to brussels sprouts? If one stops
and thinks about the comparison or to any other food, clothing or any other
item that humans could despise it is very possible to see the likeness. I
could use the Church in this setting but I am going keep on track with the
preacher’s kid concept because we are a special group of individuals that are
rarely talked about, notice quite often and misunderstood most of the
time. We are a small group that has similar feelings and worries but
in the end we have one or two final decisions that we make in order to live out
our lives.
Being a preacher’s kid is
a unique experience and one that has a life-long memory lane that if completely
told would never end. It is a category in which certain requirements are
expected, both in the do and don’t categories and it is these categories that
many of us struggle with for decades. As with vegetables preacher’s
kids have the knowledge of some of the intricate details of the Church and about
God but it is ultimately the way that these subjects are presented to us that
make or break us with God and the Church.
This view is a unique one and will have very different takes upon it
which means that the shape, texture and content will be different from all of
the other common vegetables – people.
I cannot control what
other preacher’s families do or how they conduct their everyday household, but
I do understand that this setting is very important to us and it directs us in
many aspects and decisions along our paths. I know that some
preacher’s kids were forced to go to church every time the doors were opened
and scolded when they missed a service for whatever reason. I also recognize
that some of my fellow PK’s were not allowed to participate in any or most
extra-curricular activities at school because of this rigid structure that they
were required to adhere to. I know from a personal level that not
all preacher’s kids lives fall into this category and that some were taught a
little differently when it came to these conditions.
First of all people must
recognize that PK’s did not choose to have this status plunged upon them, it
was inherited to us by the calling of God on our parents. It is
through this calling that places us into a special and unique category because
the positions that our fathers and mothers hold. It is this calling against the world that
represents why PKs are vulnerable to added temptations to rebel from God and
His ways. It is this status that brings
the description of a brussels sprout into light, and to be fair, I question
sometimes, through the stories that my fellow PKs tell, if the parents of PKs
actually realize this inherited status on our lives. I do not mean
to sound harsh or provide animosity within the hearts of anyone involved in
this process, but this subject is one that is separating PKs from God and, in
turn, personally live tortured lives because of the pressures surrounding them. It is not easy being placed into this
category and for many the lives that they live, both at home and church, can
vary greatly but when it is all said and done everyone knows the real life of
the brussels sprout in question.
I had a conversation with
my mother the other day concerning this subject. I have always been
proud of the fact that I was a preacher’s kid and that I really had no ill
feelings towards God or them for the calling that God has on my
family. I was one of those kids that was expected to be in church
each week but I was allowed to have a life when it came to being around
friends, after school activities and other engagements that took me away from
church services on occasion. My mother disagreed with me on this
portion and was under the belief that they forced me to go to church but I
quickly responded that they did not. Yes, they expected me to be in
church but they never forced me to be there and I explained to her that this
condition was a huge difference and that not every PKs household was the same
as ours. Ministers have to make some hard stands when it comes to
their families and it is through these stances that make or break their
effectiveness within their communities.
The same goes for PKs as well and the same discretion should be applied
on this level as well.
Secondly, I understand
why people do not like certain vegetables, for one of the major factors in
their decision not to like them is because they were forced to eat them when
they were younger. The same principle applies to PKs and it is
because of these measures that many leave God and never return to Him. Some
of my fellow PKs turn before they leave home but others wait until they are no
longer under the guardianship of their parents. Yet others stay
focused upon God and the plan for their lives with some becoming ministers
themselves. I wish I could say that this pattern fit for every PK
out there, but it does not and so does the manipulative games that our enemy
plays with PKs as well. This phenomenon
does not occur within one denomination, all are represented in this
category.
An area in which many PKs
do not understand lies in living within the confines of a holy minister and the
added blessings upon their lives, this calling also brings extra unwanted attacks
as well. I must admit that PKs serve the church in many ways and for
most of us we do not comprehend this status until we are older, if even at
all. Parishioners, congregations and the actual community can pretty
much gather the necessary information about the minister and their churches
just by the way that their families conduct themselves; an example of a
blessing or a curse. Is this always a 100% evaluation? No, but it
does provide a great deal of value to those trying to make decisions upon the
Church. This is why it is very important that people understand the
added pressures on PKs, for we are a prime target of our enemy.
On a third level, we PKs
also need to understand that we should not deliberately cause trouble for our
parents. Ministers have a hard enough
position within the world and they too face many worldly pressures in which
they have decisions to make. Yes,
sometimes ministers can be harsh and even present ugly family situations for
they are humans as well, but our position is one that we need to keep in order
and do not further damage our reputation by creating extra havoc on our
family. I have known many PKs and other “high
ranking” church official’s kids with attitudes of anger and hate towards their
parents and vow to do what they wish and thumb their noses at the way they were
raised. Kind of sounds like the Church
and how she is acting today.
It is easy for us to make
things a little more difficult on our parents if we are forced to go to church
and to attend each and every function that is held at the
church. For the most part we comply with this effort out of respect
for our parents and their positions, but not all adhere to these
activities. It is at this point where many PKs make the decision to
rebel and allow dissention into our hearts and once this has begun, it is very
easy to go out of our way to ensure we do what we want instead of what we
should be doing. For the most part this setting would apply to every
kid, teenager or adult but with our added status it places us in a higher
category. It always amazes me how the words preacher’s kid or son or
daughter of a minister accompanies the person when trouble finds them; it is
not always true when others become involved on the wrong side of the law.
I wish I could say that
every PK understood that they are not required to join the ministry, but in
many circumstances this is just not the case.
It has been known that many PKs were forced to go into the ministry and
be just like their parents, but what good does that origin of ministry
create? The calling of God is a special
one and should be taken very seriously.
I love to listen to my dad talk about his experience with God when he
was called into the ministry, but as I sit and absorb that information into my
life, I am serving God in a total different capacity than what my father is;
and that is perfect with God. I
recognize that I am a brussels sprout and not a carrot. I know that my personality is unique and will
hit home for some but maybe not for many.
I may grow within the same vegetable garden as the peas, onions, garlic
and tomatoes, but my presence and growth patterns are surely different than
them common vegetables. Be kind to us
brussels sprouts, for we serve a special purpose in someone’s life. Ministers be good to your vegetables for they
represent you and your legacy within God’ Kingdom. Yeah, we are going to stand out and be
different, carry a certain stigma about us and attract some really goofy
characters, but that is why God made us to ensure that all types of people are
reached for the goodness that God has for our lives.
For those brussels
sprouts that have gone sour, I pray for you and I hope that one day you allow
God to restore your viability once again.
God loves you and He understands all of the pains and hurts that you
encountered while growing up. You have a
divine purpose in life and it has nothing to do with what the world has to
offer. I cannot change your surroundings
but I can once again offer you the one gift that can miraculously change your
life and it is the one that you have been running from, God. For those brussels sprouts that remained in
God I salute you!! Stand firm and hold
your heads up proudly, for we are a small yet chosen group of knit wits that
are special to God’s heart. We had a
tough job growing up but we came through with flying colors. All of us should be proud of our heritage and
it should embolden us to be a beacon of energy for God’s Kingdom. God loves you and it is a love that as long
as we stay within His laws, will shine to a dark and dying world and will minister
to those that are lost.
DLB
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