The Broccoli Face

"Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us." Romans 5: 1-5

There are times when I ask my kids to do something they would rather not do, if they were to have their own choice in the matter. I will ask them to get off of the video games, or eat their vegetables, or read a book, or to go to bed at a set and reasonable time. All of these necessary demands (and others like them) are ones a parent often makes of their kids. And though the child may not want to do them, or see the merit in them - the parents are actually imposing these directions upon them with some foresight.

I ask them to turn off the video games, because I want them to stay active and be healthy. I ask them to eat their vegetables, because they are a necessary fuel for the human body to operate properly, I want them to live for a long time. I ask them to read a book, because reading while young is one of the keys to intelligence and school performance, and excellent school performance will lead them to be able to choose pretty well any vocation they want. I ask them to go to bed at a regular bed time, because sleep is important for a kids physical growth and mental acuity, in order to do their best and be healthy they need their rest.

You see, all of these directions must be endured by our kids. In fact many of them would call these things suffering at the time - at least that is certainly what the face indicates as the broccoli hits the tongue. Yet we put our kids through these "sufferings" because as parents we are not in the short term business of merely pleasing our kids, but in the long term business of preparing our kids for a successful and godly life.

I think this is what Paul was getting at when he bluntly states that "we also glory in our suffering." Whatever our suffering may be called at the time, the last thing we want to do is glory in it. Suffering is not enjoyable or pleasing after all. How could we possibly glory in it?

Well, Paul would encourage us to look at the long term consequences of suffering, rather than whether or not it pleases us in the short term. Since as Christians, we have peace with God and we can safely boast in the hope of future glory - suffering should never be perceived as punishment from God. Looking down the road our suffering produces perseverance - a sticktoitiveness in which the Christian pushes through the suffering, and keeps on going armed with the strength given by Christ. It's a never give up attitude. And when one has this type of godly perseverance, one's character is shaped and established - this means your actions and life are becoming more and more holy, reflective of the character of Christ. An approved character assures one that God is working in their life, shaping them and honing them according to His will. And this character produces hope - hope is the assurance that at the end of it all, everything is going to work out glorious for the believer.

In other words, we are not asked to endure suffering as a form of punishment, we are asked to endure suffering with the hopes of it helping to shape us into righteous children of God.

So, when we are stuck in the midst of a suffering situation, Paul tries to encourage us to look past the immediate discomfort towards the sure hope of our salvation in Christ.

No more need for that "broccoli" face...

Be God's, Scott