Grasshopper… or Grape Taster?
Sitting in church, I listened as the pastor began encouraging us to be Grape Tasters. I love the analogies, because the Holy Spirit begins to speak to me and teach me things. On this particular day, I realized that I spent too many years listening to Grasshoppers!
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| All photos compliments of 123 royalty free pictures text ©shelleywilburn.org |
Grasshoppers are those annoying, nibbling, people who hop from one place to the next, criticizing everything and everyone in their path. They may be Christians, they may not be. Who’s to say? But what I’ve learned is that through many years, I allowed those Grasshoppers to intimidate me into thinking, acting, and speaking just as they did. And I was miserable.
Oh, I camouflaged it by acting like I was happy. I played the game, walked the walk, talked the talk. But I wasn’t happy at all. You see, I watched others around me who were Grape Tasters. These are the people who believe what God’s Word says. They believe GOD. They step out in faith. They stand out. They have tasted and they see that the LORD is good!
There are those in life who want to drag you through the trenches. They live there, so they think everyone else should, too. But what they’re missing out on are the biggest, sweetest, juiciest grapes they’ve ever had! I didn’t know grapes came that big, but apparently they do!
Then they came to the Valley of Eshcol, and there cut down a branch with one cluster of grapes; they carried it between two of them on a pole. They also brought some of the pomegranates and figs. ~Numbers 13:23
You see, the Children of Israel were given the Promised Land. The land “flowing with milk and honey.” But when they got there, the land was inhabited with giants (really big, scary-looking people). God had given the land to the Israelites, but because they listened to the grasshoppers (the negative people), they didn’t go in. So they lived in misery. (I’m paraphrasing here)
The point is that, we do the same today. We have such opportunities ahead of us! God has promised to give us more than we could ever imagine if we will only trust Him. But we don’t. We allow naysayers in to pick, poke, and criticize every tiny thing we do until before long, we are wallowing in self-pity. I know. I’ve been there. But finally, FINALLY, I realized that the only time said naysayers came around me was when God was working in and through me and my life was getting better.
Don’t let the Grasshoppers drive you out of the vineyard. Become a Grape Taster! Because really, those big, juicy grapes that God has laid out for you are wonderful! I want to jump right into the cluster and let the juices run all down my face, and my arms, to my elbows, and drip on everyone I come in contact with. Because maybe, just maybe, if they get a little taste of the goodness of God’s grapes, they’ll want some, too.
I am NOT a Grasshopper…I am a GRAPE TASTER!
How about you?
