Observing Lessons from a Potato Peeler

I am definitely old enough to have learned this lesson way earlier than this year, quite recently actually — a better way to use a potato peeler. Who knew there could be a better way? Prior to the potato peeler  I would peel potatoes with a knife, and, yes, I butchered them.  I ended up cutting away more than most people would. This was more frequent after the vision loss.  (When technically they didn’t want me using sharp objects at all.)

My cousin was visiting one summer. She was appalled at how much of the potato I was peeling/cutting away.  When she got home, she sent a potato peeler.  I started using it. It has been a number of years now. What I noticed was that I generally did more damage to my hands with the potato peeler than with the knife.

Just recently l noticed, for some reason, I had cut the potato the opposite way of how I normally did it.  First of all it seemed easier to peel the potato. In addition, I did not scrape and cut myself… and take it from me, you can do some damage to your fingers, knuckles and finger nails with a potato peeler.  

What was the difference? I just rolled the potato the opposite direction as I was when peeling. I stopped doing something the same way I had always done it and the result was improved.  

We do that a lot. We concentrate on how things have always been done, or how we learned it, or the tradition behind it. We are so used to doing things by routine or habit, or just because. Sometimes we miss out on doing things a better way for a better outcome, like something as insignificant as peeling potatoes, to something as important as finding new solutions to spiritual issues. 

In the Old Testament Book of Isaiah, in Chapter 43:18-19, Isaiah’s message to the captive (again) Israelites was for them to stop completely dwelling on the past miracles He had done for them to the detriment of moving forward. 

He wanted them to listen and understand that He was going to replace those old miracles with something amazingly new, fresh and unknown. He was going to cause paths to open up in places that seem impossible, new roads in the wilderness and rivers of water where it was dry and barren. 

Yes, He was going to (again) miraculously free them from bondage.  They would be headed home to a new future. 

And although this passage was, in the immediate, for Israel and the coming end of their captivity in Babylon, I feel that we can take to heart the fact that the “new thing” God was going to do would be to send them their Messiah.  He was going to send us our Messiah! 

How can we challenge ourselves by knowing this?  It could be to keep moving forward. Things do not always stay the same. Sometimes we have to pull ourselves out of the past and look towards new experiences in the future. This could mean changing the way “we have always done it” that is just not working any more, or allowing God to lead you in a direction He has been trying to nudge you toward for a long time. 

The application to our lives from these verses could be remembrance, and how we work it.  I believe this passage from David Guzik, in his Study Guide for Isaiah 43, accessed from the Blue Letter Bible study tools states the application ideally: 

“This shows us that there is a sense in which we must remember the past, in terms of God’s great work on our behalf. There is also a sense in which we must forsake and forget the past, with all its discouragement and defeat, and move on to what God has for us in the future.”

What does this mean to my faith? It strengthens my faith to know that God was thinking of me even then! Even then He was weaving the plan of salvation through history so that it could come to rest on me, even me!

My Amazing God, thank You for including Me in the plan that You have for eternity. Help me to stop looking back at past failures, mistakes and disappointments; and help me look forward to the things You will do in and through my life for Your glory, and to the day when I will be with You for evermore. 

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“18 Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old. 19 Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.” Isaiah 43:18-19 (KJV) 

“For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.”  Isaiah 65:17 (KJV)

“Behold, the former things are come to pass, and new things do I declare: before they spring forth I tell you of them.”  Isaiah 42:9 (KJV)

“And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.” Revelation 21:5 (KJV)

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I feel that since God has given me the gift of this platform, I must always tell you about Him.  

What is your relationship to the all-knowing God of the universe?  Do you know Jesus? Do you know the peace that can come only from an intimate relationship with Him?  You can know Him.  Jesus Christ, God’s Son, born into human flesh, sinless, crucified and giving His life freely, buried, arisen on the third day, will come into your life and change the outcome of your eternity.  You just have to be willing to believe and accept His truth.  

Here is an excellent website that can give you additional information about making your decision for Jesus Christ!  PeaceWithGod.net

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