Magazine for September 2009
Out of the Ashes
Recently I made the meringues of stupidity. I am certain we have all had similar experiences – and in my case it was meringues. How do you make them? It is incredibly simple – just don’t read the instructions properly!
I had separated the yolks and reserved the whites to make meringues. As I beat the yolks with the sugar, I thought the mixture was rather stiff and suddenly it dawned on me that I had used twice the amount I should have. I had to start again and, of course, I then had four additional egg whites. So these additional meringues became the meringues of ‘stupidity’.
I had friends for dinner and they ate my meringues, which they declared to be excellent. The quality might have been a sheer fluke but I felt immensely encouraged by their words. What had promised to be a continuation of one kitchen disaster, had in fact been turned into a success. My friends’ words of encouragement were an affirmation of what I am able to achieve in the kitchen.
This applies in so many parts of our lives. Encouragement helps development and growth. As Christians we need to embrace the gift of encouragement. Not all of us are called to be preachers, and few are called to be vicars – but we can all encourage.
Encouragement can change and transform people. Often we feel inadequate and things don’t always go to plan, but encouragement helps us to see what Christ sees in us. Encouragement helps us to remember that what we do is through Christ’s strength and not our own, and that he is with us always.
David Bradshaw