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| The Veggie of Choice for Tasteless People |
14So the trouble is not with the law, for it is spiritual and good. The trouble is with me, for I am all too human, a slave to sin. 15I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do what I hate. 16But if I know that what I am doing is wrong, this shows that I agree that the law is good. 17So I am not the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it.18And I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature.d I want to do what is right, but I can’t. 19I want to do what is good, but I don’t. I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway. 20But if I do what I don’t want to do, I am not really the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it.
- Romans 7:14-20
If there is one thing you need to know about my childhood it is this: my mother had an unhealthy infatuation with Lima Beans.
I clearly remember almost every dish containing that Vermin of Vegetation. My mother played Dr. Who in the episode: "Who makes Shepherd's pie with Lima Beans." (Perhaps it was a question...) I would successfully pick out every pale green pebble and be ready to eat by the time my father was dishing his second helping. Don't get me wrong, Shepherd's Pie was one of my favorite meals, but I only ate it sans the LB.
But casseroles were not the only infected portion of the meal. She would introduce the LB in less subversive manners--yea, she even presented it with no camouflage, like in a "vegetable medley." Ha! Upon analysis it was clear that the LB was the laughingstock of the group. The carrots were vibrant compared to the pale LB. The broccoli was a real green color. The corn was much better tasting. Even the cauliflower spat in the LB's face. Yes, even nature itself declares the abomination of the Lima Bean.
I swore I would not eat the Lima Bean, ever. But alas, my mother and father had other ideas. They coaxed me upon threat of violence. (I'm going to beat you if...) They coaxed me with taunts. (You're a baby if...) They even coaxed me by insulting my intelligence (They're not that bad...) and rationalizing my future. (When your taste buds die, then you'll like them.) But once I emerged from my adolescence, I swore the Lima Bean off entirely.
That being said, I found myself eating Lima Beans at lunch today. I hated every moment of the experience. The blah-flavor of the LB combined with its ugh-texture resulted in a nasty explosion of ick in my mouth. I kept asking myself, "Why am I eating this crap?" And my answer was, "I don't know." Finally my brilliant mind came up with a solution, "Eat around the LB's you dummy!" So I did.
In her attempt to ease my displeasure, my mother told me two non-reassuring things about myself and Lima Beans. 1) Lima Beans have no taste, so I should be able to eat them. 2) When I get older, my taste buds will die off and I won't be able to taste. I will eat Lima Beans then. Never mind the contradiction, consider the illustration.
Lima Beans are like sin; it is gross though tasteless and the less sensitive you are to it, the easier it is to do. How many times am I caught choking down Lima Beans? The answer is: not as often as I'm caught doing something I am ashamed of. Paul said he does those things he hates, and I also hate the things I do.
Why do I do things as tasteless as sin?
Why do I grow so cold to sin?
These are not excuses to continue indulging. These are more reasons to pick these deeds out of my life! May God help me to make a decision and stick to it.
Just like I've done with Lima Beans.
