A Watched Pot Never Boils!

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sn’t that the absolute truth?  I am promptly reminded of this little proverb every time I cook.  One particular Saturday serves as a good example.  I was preparing a rice pudding from my one of my mom’s recipes.  Everything was ready for the assembly line except the rice which had to be cooked.  However, before I could cook it, the water in the pot had to boil and boy was it taking it’s time!

Have you ever watched a pot of water, waiting for it to boil?  I believe Rome was built in less time than it takes for two quarts of water to come to a rolling boil.  While waiting for this little miracle to happen, I washed the dishes, then checked the pot—nothing.  I made my bed, then checked the pot—nothing.  I read a magazine article, then checked the pot—little bubbles.  I did a load of laundry, then checked the pot—more little bubbles.  Although I am exaggerating, you get the idea, right?  It took a long time for that little bit of water to come to a boil.

As I stood there watching the pot, trying to encourage and coax the little bubbles on their way, I remembered a lecture from one of my chemistry professors in college.  There isn’t much intellectual depth in a pot of water, so reflecting on Plato or Aristotle while waiting for the pot to boil just didn’t seem appropriate.  Anyway, the chemistry professor told us that a large amount of energy is required for hydrogen and oxygen atoms to break their bonds.  As you watch the pot, the little bubbles you see represent the beginning stages of these bonds breaking apart.  As the heat rises, more and more of these bonds are broken and the water begins to dance.  It can then be used to cook rice which leads to rice pudding, something worth waiting for!

Have you ever considered that a pot of water waiting to boil represents the Christian life?  Consider that pot filled with water.  It just sits on the stovetop, lifeless, wet, with no purpose.  Anything place in that pot will just become water logged until heat is applied.  Only when the temperature is raised will the energy be released and the pot changed into a boiling cauldron ready to be used by the cook to prepare a meal for many people.  But as long as there is no heat underneath the pot, the water inside will have no purpose.

Many Christians resemble the pot on the stove.  We get so caught up in ourselves that we are practically useless to God.  When we read the scriptures, we do nothing with them.  We don’t’ apply them to our situations, we don’t share them with others, we don’t let them change us in any way.  We sit around like pots full of water and God’s word becomes water logged because we have no initiative to internalize it, apply it, and share it with others.  Our faith needs to be stretched and we need to learn that God is who He says He is and that He cares for us and wants us to share His love and salvation with those around us.

It is just about this time that the heat gets turned up on the Christian and we encounter a challenge or trial, something unforeseen that drives up the heat, causes discomfort, but definitely makes us boil!  James wrote about this in his epistle.  James 1:2-4 tells us, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”

James tells us to rejoice when we face challenges in life.  He did not mean we were to throw a backyard barbecue and invite the neighbors!!  James was looking at the bigger picture, to the growing of our faith so that we could be complete in God, lacking nothing.  The boiling pot has a much greater purpose.  It will be used to cook food that will touch the lives of many people who would never be fed unless the water in the pot reached the boiling point. 

Who knows how many people will be blessed because you persevere in the challenge God has set before you today?  Who knows what God will teach you through this and how many people will be encourage and have their faith strengthened because of what God is doing in your life.  God knows where you are and he knows just how to use you for his purpose.  So, if he has turned up the heat today, know that he is doing it because he sees the bigger picture.  He knows there are things in your life that will be released when and only when your spiritual pot reaches the boiling pot.  So, what is God cooking up in your life today?