An Empty Mustard Bottle
of a consistency thicker than water tends to resist emptying from the container. When a toothpaste tube is empty, there are actually several brushings left. I recently ran out of silicon caulk and only had a few inches of a joint left to fill. I cut the tube just behind the spout and was surprised how much was in the end of the tube.
It is very difficult to reach the full potential in many areas. This applies to people as much as mustard. Most of us are not 100% people. Probably if we reach an eighty percent potential level, we can be satisfied that is better than average.
I well remember from sixty years ago in high school, several in my class, (including me), told a teacher, “But we’re doing the best we can.” He laughed and basically asked us the question, “Are you really doing the best you can?”
We, of course, knew we had misspoken and admitted, “No, we are not!” That experience taught me to examine myself, my level of effort and always ask myself, “Am I really doing my best or at least, all I can do in ‘this’ situation?”
God deserves our best effort in our work for Him and ultimately, everything is for Him. To leave a part of ourselves in “the bottom of the bottle” is cheating God and ourselves! The satisfaction of a “jobwell-done” is mostly non-existent in the life of a slacker.
A teacher in college in a graphic design class made the statement, “Always be your own severest critic.” We must evaluate ourselves to always do the best we’re capable of no matter what the subject may be.
I well remember that statement from 1972 much better than something I heard yesterday. What someone else does to reach their full potential is their concern. But, being a teacher, I encourage everyone to work toward that perfection of full potential.
Revelation 3: 15-16 “I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.” The word “spue” has literally been translated to mean “vomit.”
This admonition to the church of Laodicea stated Jesus’ displeasure with not only that church but all churches and church people falling into that particular circumstance.
I cannot begin to imagine how devastating it would be to have Jesus tell me He was going to spew me out of His mouth. To be considered that way by Him would be a most horrible state of existence.
Matthew 7: 22 “Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? And in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” Jesus is telling us in no uncertain terms, there are many artificial Christians thinking they are doing His will. We must constantly be in a state of self-evaluation even though examining one’s own heart and mind is surely difficult.
The church at Laodicea had just enough of Jesus to satisfy their hu
man need for religion and something or someone to pretend to worship. I asked a question in a Bible study class I was teaching, “Do you consider this to be a mission minded church?” A young woman in the class answered, “We do just enough to make it appear we’re a mission minded church.”
Does the word “lukewarm” describe anyone or any church in America today? Lukewarm was a disgusting taste of water. With no refrigeration in Laodicea, there was no cold water to drink. The people were more than familiar with how unpleasant a state lukewarm was. The word in itself suggests a condition of indifference.
Many churches put on a really big show on Sunday mornings, but are they being the church Jesus intended (Matthew 16: 18)? We might ask ourselves, “Are we here to promote Jesus or to entertain people?”
A state of apathy existed in the Church of Laodicea. Their empty religion had condemned them to this state of lukewarm. This condition had come upon them slowly in increments and they didn’t have a clue of their existence in the eyes of Jesus.
A statement I read recently was, “They had too much of the world to be happy in Jesus and too much of Jesus to be happy in the world.” Sadly, this may apply to many churches and people today. Religion is a wonderful thing but to live with just the part that’s easy, isn’t a lucrative place to be.
Like the mustard in the bottom of the bottle, the good part may be a hard part to get to; it may require a little more effort, but in the long run, it’s worth it.
When we consider and visualize Jesus with the nails in His hands and feet, bleeding and dying for the sins of the world, isn’t He worth our full effort?