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Choosing bananas

January  20, 2008  - Dale

One of my earliest scientific theories concerned the little brown bruises (about the size of a thumb print) that appeared inside a banana after the peel was removed. My theory was that certain shoppers (I must confess I have a picture in my head of a certain type of shopper) pressed the bananas to see if they were firm or soft before they bought them (actually in these cases before they decided not to buy them).

Sometimes in discussions about the relationship between God and humans, God can be pictured as a kind of divine banana shopper. Why does he choose this one and leave another? Is he looking for some kind of quality in us before he chooses us? Is it possible to predict whether one is a suitable kind of banana? Or to be sure he won’t throw us back? Are our unbelieving relatives the ones with the divine bruise of rejection?

These discussions always seem dismal and depressing but they arise from the mention in the scriptures that God does choose people. I think they also arise from our observation of the variety of those who believe. It seems hard to find a common factor that explains why God has apparently chosen this group.

That is if we ignore what is the absolute common factor. Our sin. Our attempted independence, our rebelliousness and pride and self sufficiency – all those attitudes and habits that effectively keep God outside or on the sidelines of our life.

The reality is that despite what the banana skin looks like, these bananas are not suitable for eating. Inside they are actually brown and black. But still suitable for banana cake. Of course the hubris and independence mentioned above rebels at this idea. But it is nevertheless the common factor among the chosen.

So why would God choose any of them? That is the more relevant question. Not why does he choose this one rather than that one, but why choose any? Perhaps bad bananas are best for making banana cake. But no that is not the reason. The reality is that this is all God has to chose from. And his choice is not related to any differences between the sinners. They are, in this respect, all the same.

The purpose is to rescue a people for himself to complete what he set out to do when he created humans in the first place. The motivation is love, kindness, mercy.  So why does he leave the rest? Because their rebellion is wilful. But we must not misunderstand this “leaving”. Those who are left are the ones who continue to refuse him, who will not turn and listen and do what he calls them to do.  It is about choosing.

Dale

Comments

Thanks for this Dale.
It helps the heart that can barely follow Christ if hard Calvinism is followed but knows we are under His Sovereign care at the same time. This is simply the Gospel -that we are chosen to become His in Christ (thru relationship with Christ) --and whosoever will may come. We are made in His image and can say no. But if we respond to His Spirit who draws all men to Himself and come to Christ by faith we have the right to become children of God.

Posted by Janet on Thursday, January 17, 2008 at 20:47:38

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