When one of my children is hungry usually they end up asking for a marshmallow. I don’t often give them marshmallows, though. I have mommy type things on my mind, like their health and growth, their need to take in vitamins, their emotional state a half hour from now when the sugar high wears off and the low hits. I wind up suggesting things like cereal, or fruit, or toast, you know, mommy stuff. They would rather have a marshmallow because it tastes good right now. I would rather they had an apple and grew up to be healthy and strong.

I think something similar happens when I’m hungry, when I feel that little empty longing inside like I want a pick me up of some sort, making me feel cozy and better, maybe even a touch giddy and energized, when the accomplishments of the world whisper that my husband’s and children’s approval and thanks aren’t enough, and I want everyone else to think I’m smart, and talented, and wonderful, too. I sure would like an emotional marshmallow. Accolades. Compliments. Chocolaty praise drizzled over my marshmallow of airy, sugary adoration. Yup. Good stuff.

But sometimes I get the distinct impression that my heavenly Father has God type stuff on His mind like my health and growth, my need to develop Christ likeness, my emotional state a half an hour from now when the sugar high has worn off and I find I’m still empty because only God can truly satisfy. I would rather have a marshmallow because it feels good right now. God would rather I had a big helping of humility and grew up to be healthy and strong.

Our little church has been studying the life of Jacob’s son, Joseph. A few weeks ago, we came to the part of the story in which Joseph is finally brought before Pharaoh to interpret the dream about the cows and the ears of corn. During the discussion time, my father-in-law pointed out that when Joseph was a teenager, he thought he was the stuff. He was very happy to wear his fancy coat of many colors and tell his grand dreams to his family about how they were all going to bow down to him. But then what happened? He got thrown in a pit by his brothers and sold into slavery. Rejection. Humiliation. Carrot sticks.

But then things seemed maybe not so bad. He did a really great job for his master. So great, in fact that he wound up in charge of the whole household. Maybe Joseph was the stuff after all. This wasn’t quite a whole bowl of marshmallows, but one or two, perhaps…until Joseph got falsely accused and thrown in prison and fed a steady diet of anonymity and bran flakes. Then Pharaoh’s butler and baker showed up and had dreams, which Joseph interpreted. The dreams came true, bad for the baker, but happy for the butler, and Joseph asked the butler to remember him. But, wouldn’t you know? He forgot. And Joseph ate his cheese and whole grain crackers alone again in prison.

And what was the result? Joseph was strong, spiritually healthy, ready to do the great task to Lord had for him. And then, brought before a powerful king, and asked, basically, “So, I hear you’re the stuff, the guy who can interpret dreams when no one else can,” Joseph answers, what is in Hebrew, only a single word, “It is not in me” (Genesis 41:16). Mr. “Guess what guys, you’re all going to bow down to me” says humbly, “It is not in me: God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace.”

The rest is gourmet, expensive marshmallows, like those hand cut ones that I saw in a food catalog years ago that cost a dollar a piece. Power. Glory. Renown. Joseph’s brothers really did come and bow down to him, and Joseph was able to save the tiny seedling of the Nation Israel from starvation.

Joseph’s steady diet of humiliation produced in him the humility to go before Pharaoh and give God the glory when a lesser man might have been tempted to snatch up the glory for himself. Pharaoh certainly gave Joseph the opportunity. Funny how we know we ought to be humble, but few of us want to go through the process of being humbled. Kind of like last night when I watched my daughter fighting her gag reflex while she tried to get down the three snow pea pods I had placed on her plate.

We never know what God may have in store for us, either on this earth or in eternity. I don’t know about you, but I’d be excited if God had a job for me that required the great strength that only a wholesome diet could impart. I hope I can fight my gag reflex enough to swallow my vegetables. And when my flesh would prefer a marshmallow, I hope I’ll be able to remember Joseph and the work that God was preparing him for. If I can delight in God’s glory instead of my own, I may even discover that vegetables aren’t so bad when prepared well. God is a master chef, and those who love Him may find that He gives more of Himself with every trial, and that He serves their humility with cream sauce.

This entry was posted on Monday, February 9th, 2009 at 1:15 pm and is filed under Christian Life. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.