Angel at the Door

Ever notice how certain foods work really well together? Like bread and butter. Rice and beans. Cream and sugar. Biscuits and gravy. Peaches and cream. Salt and pepper. Lettuce and tomatoes. Mac and cheese. Peanut butter and jelly. We call these delectable duos “palatable pairings”! We’ve only listed a few, but our list could on and on. And we’ve probably started you thinking about a few of your own favorite culinary couplings.

Although any of the items listed above can stand alone, although each one has individual value and can fill a need all by itself, bringing two of them together greatly increases the appeal and value. Peanut butter is a good source of protein, but it can be a little dry and a little blah. Jelly is fruity and sweet, but it’s not very filling. Either one works well as a sandwich spread, but just ask any kid: mix the two and you have a nutritional sandwich that tastes like a snack! Because these two foodstuffs are BETTER TOGETHER!

Bet you already guessed this kitchen wisdom: there are tons of examples of things in life that work well together. Spices, such as brown sugar and cinnamon. Foods, such as apple pie and vanilla ice cream. Comedy teams, such as Abbot and Costello, or Laurel and Hardy.  Musical duos, such as Donny and Marie, the Righteous Brothers, or Simon and Garfunkel. (And by the way, did Art Garfunkel ever do anything noteworthy while he was on his own? Just curious.) And PEOPLE can work together to do great things. You, us, and them too.

No one is an island. God created people to be relational beings: to have interaction with Him, obviously, but also to interact with those around us. “…The Lord God said, ‘It is not good for the man to be alone.'” (Genesis 2:18 HCSB) Although this verse relates to marriage, the first institution God created (which we’ll examine in a future post), its wisdom applies to ALL relationships.

The Bible is full of relationships. Actually, it’s all about relationships. And it’s THE Book of God’s relationship to us! God knows us better than anyone, and what He knows is that WE NEED RELATIONSHIPS. Every human being has a basic need and desitre to love and be loved, to share, to communicate, to socialize. Even the grumpiest, seemingly most unapproachable person needs to talk to someone! Perhaps that’s why social media is so popular today.

Two people working together are better able to achieve their goals and realize their dreams, because there is power in two people who are mutually supportive and accountable; two people who can encourage and assist each other. That’s what the “buddy system” is all about. That’s why there are support groups such as AA, and mentoring groups such as Big Brothers and Big Sisters. That’s why a prayer partner can help keep us tuned in to God. And why corporations hope you have a “best friend” at work. Such connections make work more bearable, and life more enjoyable.

Please don’t face life alone. “Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed.” (Ecclesiastes 4:9 NLT)

“…One person (can) chase a thousand … (but) two people put ten
thousand to flight….” (Deuteronomy 32:30 NLT)

So find a friend, whether online, on the job, at church, or next door. And never forget that the Lord also longs to partner with you in every endeavor. He’s “… a friend who sticks closer than a brother.” (Proverbs 18:24 NIV)

You can’t judge a book by its cover. Nor can you tell if an egg is fresh by examining its shell.

Although the wisdom is the same in both cases, the consequences of neglecting it in the former are by far preferable to the latter. Allow us to explain: if you crack a book with an interesting title and a cool cover illustration, but then realize it’s pretty bad … well, you can always take a good nap. But if you crack open an innocent-looking egg and realize it’s rotten … well, you’ll be fumigating the house.

The shell of an egg is composed mostly of calcium carbonate, and remains unblemished and smooth to the touch long after the yolk inside has gone bad. In fact, the egg can be decomposing inside while the shell can appear enticingly fresh. Good thing we’ve all learned not to form conclusions based on appearances alone. Right?

We never crack an egg directly into something we’re mixing, such as a cake mix. If it’s bad, it’s also too bad — because it’s too late to do anything about it. Hence, we break each egg into a separate bowl, and examine it before adding it to the recipe. When eggs go bad, the whites start to look watery. The yolks darken and may appear slightly shriveled. Of course, if the egg is rotten you’ll know the moment you crack it.

Refrigerated eggs tend to have a long shelf-life, usually a month beyond their sell-by date. But eggs that were mishandled and subjected to high temperatures go bad more quickly. Bad eggs can breed life-threatening
bacteria, so it’s best to know what’s lurking beneath those pretty shells. But how can you tell?

There’s a simple test. Does the egg float in a deep bowl of water, or sink to the bottom? No, this isn’t similar to the lunacy of dunking would-be witches centuries ago. This is based on science, not superstition.

First, every egg contains a tiny pocket of air. (You can see where the air pocket formed whenever you peel a boiled egg: the larger end of the boiled egg will always be flat and dimpled.) But as an egg ages, this air pocket expands, which increases its buoyancy. A fresh egg doesn’t contain enough air to float. It will sink to the bottom of the bowl and lie on its side.

Second, as eggs age the yolks produce gases. If the egg sinks but remains “standing” on one end, then gases are forming at the other end. It’s still okay to use the egg, but don’t dawdle about it. If, however, the egg floats, then a considerable pocket of gases has formed — indicating the egg is well on its way to rotting.

Bad eggs produce hydrogen sulfide, which builds within the shell. This foul-smelling gas is an indication of the corruption taking place within a shell that appears perfect on the outside, smooth and unblemished. Thank goodness, though, we don’t have to judge an egg by its shell.

As we’ve stated before, people are like eggs. Yes, there are good eggs, bad eggs, and rotten eggs; but our point here is that we can never base our judgements on appearance alone. A person who looks fine, and who seems to have it altogether, may actually be “dying” on the inside.

Unfortunately, in our Western culture we tend to value outer beauty above inner beauty, and physical perfection above strength of character. Many of us see the outer success, fame, and fortune of celebrity athletes and movie stars, and then assume their private lives are just as rich and wonderful. Occasionally, however, we’ll read or hear about a rich and famous person who’s been battling with the inner demons of addiction, physical abuse, low self-esteem, and … emptiness. In fact, we can recall one such celebrity confessing that, by all appearances, he had “made it” in life and had everything he could possibly desire — except happiness.

Since the lifestyles of the rich and famous, like eggshells, can conceal foul feelings and serious problems, it’s important we don’t make assumptions based on appearances. This wisdom has a spiritual application, too — one many of us seldom consider — which is the reverse of our egg analogy.

You may know someone who doesn’t look or dress or act like a star; but probably inside the shell of the “ugly duckling” there resides a beautiful, talented, or well-adjusted “swan”! And perhaps you know an older person who’s grown grey and wrinkled and stooped; perhaps a “senior saint” within your faith congregation; someone who appears to be years beyond his or her “best-by” date. The shell may look a little worse for wear, but you might just be surprised at how much life still resides within. Never discount what these people have to offer.

The Apostle Paul wrote, “Though our outer self is heading for decay, our inner self is being renewed daily.” (2 Corinthians 4:16 CJB) Or, to quote the Phillips translation, “The outward man does indeed suffer wear and tear, but every day the inward man receives fresh strength. …For we are looking all the time not at the visible things but at the invisible. The visible things are transitory: it is the invisible things that are really permanent [eternal].” (2 Corinthians 4:16-18)

Perhaps no one is ever eggs-actly as he or she appears. “Beautiful eggs” may be dying inside. Apparent good eggs can stink. Dull and pathetic-looking eggs can be full of life. And alleged “bad eggs” may still turn out to be good. Let’s try to see beyond the shells.