Ginger by Frances Pasch

Fran Pasch and I speak the same language. I knew we would be friends, even if only over the Internet, from the first time I read one of her devotionals. I love her way of telling stories, writing poems, and sharing her heart for the Lord. Ginger is a very timely lesson on God’s view of not judging others that comes straight from her kitchen. We would love to hear your comments! 

2MefromHim Devotionals

Stop judging by mere appearances and make a right judgment… John 7:24 NIV

The recipe called for fresh ginger. I could have substituted ground ginger, but for some strange reason, I felt compelled to follow the directions exactly.

Why am I making all this fuss? I thought, as I drove to the store. I would soon find out.

I had never seen fresh ginger before, so I had to read the produce signs to find it. I did a double take when I spotted the price of $2.49 a pound. But I was even more shocked when I saw the ginger itself. It looked grotesque. I almost changed my mind about buying it, but I selected a few pieces and headed for home.

Back in my kitchen, as I started to peel the ginger, a delightful aroma came forth. How deceiving, I thought. Its ugly exterior has camouflaged its fragrant interior.

Suddenly, things came into focus.  God was using this experience to teach me a lesson. Just the other day he showed me the scripture, “Stop judging by mere appearances and make a right judgment” (John 7:24 NIV). He knew I always equated outer beauty with greater happiness and pleasure.

For a moment, my mind drifted back to several events in the past. First, I recalled the vacation my family spent at a beautiful motel. Yet when I thought about it now, I realized we had more fun on our camping trip in the rain—in a tent. I also thought of our large home which I was sure would make me happier than our smaller one. But looking back again, I knew that nothing could ever replace the twenty years of wonderful memories we spent in our first, tiny home.

Finally, I remembered the Thanksgiving Mom and Dad took Jim and me and our five boys to a restaurant so I wouldn’t have to cook. But even that couldn’t hold a candle to the meals we enjoyed crowded around our small dining room table.

God seemed to be telling me to look at things from His perspective, from within, from the heart. I knew it would be hard for me to change my habits after so many years of judging people and things by their external appearances. But I decided to try.

Today, through the Lord’s help, I am making significant progress.

© Frances Gregory Pasch

About the author:

Fran has lived in New Jersey all of her life. She attended Georgian Court College in Lakewood, New Jersey, which is now a university. She has a B.S. in Business Administration. She married her husband, Jim, in 1958. They have five grown sons and nine grandchildren. Her first book was published in December 2013, a month after my 80^th birthday. Double Vision – Seeing God In Everyday Moments Through Devotions and Poetry is a collection of 30 devotions, each paired with a poem on the same topic. It is a double eye-opener, two ways of looking at the same spiritual truth. Each individual devotion and matching poem could be used as a short Bible study.

Follow Fran at her website: francesgregorypasch.com

Book Links for Double Vision:

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Double-Vision-Everyday-Through-Devotions/dp/193849993X

Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas: http://store.lpcbooks.com/product/double-vision-2/

Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/double-vision-frances-gregory-pasch/1117955814?ean=9781938499937