As a child I would sometimes confuse zucchini and cucumber. They kind of look similar if you don’t note the fine details. But they are very different.

The way you prepare them is very different too. You can eat them both raw, but that gets dull doesn’t it? If you prepare them, lots of interesting things can happen.

For a zucchini, if you slice it with a little olive oil and salt, you can throw it straight on the grill and get great results.

With a cucumber? I’ve never seen anyone grill a cucumber. However, if you plop that cucumber in some brine and just let it sit for awhile, you get something great!

People can be very different too. I’ve noticed that with some people you can speak very directly and correct them, and they will receive it and be improved by it. But with some people it is better to speak truth around them, and be patient with them. I desire to be the kind of person who can “go straight on the grill” so to speak when it comes to hearing feedback, but sometimes I confess feedback has been hard to hear, both because I don’t like what is said and because I’m not really hearing what is said. I sometimes have a thick cucumber like skin that makes me slow to pick up what people are telling me. It has caused friction in some relationships over the years.

Sometimes the best way to get out of a pickle, is to just sit down in God’s word until you become a pickle!  That’s a little tongue and cheek, but God’s word like brine has a way of softening us up and working its way inside our souls if we give it enough time.

I find my prayer closet is a good place to bring the feedback I get from others, and also a good place to consider the feedback I desire to give to others.

Jesus models for us different ways of communicating with people. He always seemed to know where their hearts were and what they needed.

In John 15, He speaks to his disciples very directly and tells them, — The Father, God, is a gardener. He will cut off branches that are not fruitful, and prune the ones that are. He disciplines every son that He accepts.

This is a hard, but also encouraging correction. For He says, I do not think of you as servants or slaves. I think of you as brothers and sisters. The Father thinks of you as His sons and daughters. This is good for you, even though it hurts. He uses this teaching time to prepare them to have trouble in the world and to not get discouraged when people’s treatment does not match their hopes and expectations.

Luke 10:38-42 is the famous passage between Jesus and Martha. Certain people are not behaving in a way that matches her hopes and expectations either! He could have said the same thing here as in John 15. “God’s plan hurts, but it’s good for you. Just accept it.” But He doesn’t.

He shows compassion by identifying her feelings, “Martha, you are anxious about many things!”

Then He corrects gently, “only some of them are needed, maybe only One.”

Then, He addresses the issue of choices. Mary’s choices directly, “Mary has made the better choice, and it will not be taken from her.” And, Martha’s choices indirectly.

Martha chose to invite them in. And chose to serve with many ideas and expectations, maybe more expectations than she could really manage. The beauty of this response is that Jesus is speaking to us as sons and daughters, not slaves. He is affirming our desires and choices! We can make them! And we can let them go. We can sit down and just be – in the moment with Him.

This post comes out as we enter the Christmas season. Many people feel overwhelmed at the holidays with “all the preparations that need to be done.” If it brings you joy, then enjoy!

But if it makes you anxious, just remember, you have the power to return to the Gardener. He prunes the unfruitful places in your schedule. You have the power to ask a brother or sister who loves you for guidance in the pruning. (You even have the power to listen to their suggestions! Too direct? Sorry!)

Maybe make less, spend less, worry less. Just serve more pickles. 🙂