Durians

Pen to Paper | April 28, 2011 12:01 am

By Ian Gustafson, 19, Michigan USA

When I first encountered a durian I thought it smelled like BO and that it would really hurt if somebody threw one at me. The hard, spikey exterior and offensive stench are off-putting. But crack it open and you find a sweet, creamy substance that makes this strange creation “the king of fruits.” There are many lessons we can learn from the durian. “Don’t judge a book by its cover” and “always brush your teeth after you eat” are two examples. But we can also learn by comparing the durian to the Christian.

In Matthew 5:14-16 Jesus tells us “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” So Jesus wants us to be the light—a shining light. I could be wrong but I think if they had durians in the Middle East during Jesus’ lifetime, he would’ve included them in his analogies here. For just as a city on a hill cannot be hidden, you can’t hide a durian’s scent.

Let’s see what Paul had to say about this topic in 2 Corinthians 2:14-16: “But thank God! He has made us his captives and continues to lead us along in Christ’s triumphal procession. Now He uses us to spread the knowledge of Christ everywhere, like a sweet perfume. Our lives are a Christ-like fragrance rising up to God. But this fragrance is perceived differently by those who are being saved and by those who are perishing. To those who are perishing, we are a dreadful smell of death and doom. But to those who are being saved, we are a life-giving perfume”.

So the question we should ask ourselves is: Is our life a scent? Does it challenge others to commit themselves to Christ as we have? Or do we blend so well into our environment that no one notices the life-giving scent of Christ in us?

Tags: ,

1 Comment

  1. Joanna says:

    Durians are the best! I bet there’s durian in heaven. Haha!

    Reply

Leave a Comment

Related

Humility and Thor
1

Humility and Thor

By Ian Gustafson, 19, USA It’s amazing how you can sometimes feel the way God tweaks life’s lessons to personalize them according to the individual He made you. When you’re a comic book nerd, like me, such revelations seem to showcase God’s quirky side and sense of humor. It’s fun to be a comic book [...]

Published on May 25, 2011 12:01 am
Chopsticks and Failure
1

Chopsticks and Failure

By Ian Gustafson, 19, USA I grew up in the United States but for now I’m spending some time in Asia. When in a different culture, there are always adjustments to be made. There are things to get used to, new things to try, and some old things to go without. Naturally, when you’re a [...]

Published on June 13, 2011 12:01 am
Durians
1

Durians

By Ian Gustafson, 19, Michigan USA When I first encountered a durian I thought it smelled like BO and that it would really hurt if somebody threw one at me. The hard, spikey exterior and offensive stench are off-putting. But crack it open and you find a sweet, creamy substance that makes this strange creation [...]

Published on April 28, 2011 12:01 am
Short Story: Social(ly Unacceptable) Network
2

Short Story: Social(ly Unacceptable) Network

“Can you believe this?” Jeff says from the chair to my right. “My older brother says when he started using Myspace, our parents thought it was evil. And now everyone’s parents have a Facebook account. This is stupid.” I have to agree with him. Mr. Lee, the school counselor, has been lecturing us for the [...]

Published on July 11, 2011 12:01 am