Wayne and I lived in an area of Japan that was well-known for its green tea production and massive tangerine farms. Some of my very best friends in Japan own one of the largest organic green tea farms in the country. Their setup is incredibly impressive. We picked tea with them several years. We also made several trips to pick our own tangerines, but these are no ordinary tangerines. They are the sought after Japanese mikan. These little parcels of sweetness have skins that almost peel themselves on command. They are seedless, and when you pop a section in your mouth, juice bursts into every nook of your mouth with surprisingly concentrated citrus flavor. They are unmatchable. We have tried and tried to find something as delicious as the mikan, but we haven’t found anything that even comes close. Some tangerines have wonderful zipper-peel skin – but they lack the flavor. Others have a burst of flavor – but they have seeds. We just haven’t found the same perfect combination here in the States that exists in Japan.
We asked one Japanese mikan farmer what was the secret of the sweetness. He told us, “You must wait 21 days.” We had picked multiple large boxes of tangerines, but when it was time to go, he took the boxes from us and put them in the barn and gave us older tangerines. At first, I was a bit offended, but then he told us that the secret was to let the natural sugars begin to break down before you dig in. 21 days seemed to be the perfect amount of time. Funny thing is, we were recently at a farmer’s market in California. They had wonderful tiny tangerines that came very close to the Japanese mikan. I asked the farmer, “How long do you wait before you eat them?” Without a moment’s hesitation, he replied, “Three weeks.” The taste is far superior to what we can buy here in a supermarket. That three weeks period has to occur in just the right conditions before the sweetness is rendered.
In our lives, we come in contact with many people who are searching for something that they just can’t find. Maybe they can find a part of what they are looking for, but the total package eludes them. Many people come to us for counsel, and we try to offer what the moment demands, but even that is imperfect. They may take with them one little bit of what we’ve said, but they don’t often hear the whole message. Like the little tangerines, I find that the words that I have to offer others are most potent when I’ve taken the time to take their situation before God. I must wait patiently on the Lord to hear what He wants to say. I cannot assume to know the wisdom of the Lord on my own. Instead I have to get to a place where I can be quiet and hear His voice.
"For the LORD gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding. He stores up sound wisdom for the upright; He is a shield to those who walk in integrity, guarding the paths of justice, and He preserves the way of His godly ones. Then you will discern righteousness and justice and equity and every good course." (Proverbs 2:6-9) I often have a part of what someone needs to hear, but I need to refrain from speaking until wisdom is imparted. God always has every piece of the puzzle to perfection in the counsel of our lives. Sometimes we hear it immediately, but sometimes we find that we need time to seek His face and listen for His voice. If you find yourself in a time of waiting, do not worry at all. The truth is that the sweetness of God's counsel will be greater when it comes.
praying for a "fruitful" trip! Also for your safety.
ReplyDelete