When I cook a bag of spinach, I am always amazed how much there appears to be in the bag, and then how little there appears to be, once it’s cooked. It is a fascinating sight to watch how that bag of spinach is piled into the pan, overflowing, even; and then cooks down to such a small amount. The nutrients, though, are still there and so worth it.
As I made Terry’s and my dinner the other night, I was cooking chicken, sliced potatoes and had them in the oven and then started the spinach on the stovetop.
As it wilted down into the garlic I had minced and cooked in a little bit of olive oil, I tossed the spinach with some tongs and added a little sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Slowly that big ol’ pile of spinach became less and less.
I added a little splash of prosecco (because I had some open and didn’t have any white wine open), covered it and allowed it to simmer while everything else cooked.
And it hit me.
“He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less.” - John 3:30 (NLT)
I need to become more like cooked spinach. While I feel like a ‘big ol’ look at me’ pile of spinach, I need to become less and less and God must become greater and greater.
When people look at me or see something I have done or hear something I have said, I want them to see Jesus, not Aimee.
He must become greater and greater and I must become less and less. Instead of the big, overflowing bag of spinach, I need to be the cooked version; less and less. Smaller. Not as visible.
If I do a “good deed” for someone, but then post and brag about it, it takes away from the good deed and the focus is on me, rather than on God’s blessing.
Isn’t the Holy Spirit amazing to reveal such powerful lessons to such a simpleminded person like me? But that’s how He works. He meets us wherever we are to nudge us and teach us.
I’m so grateful He used that big bag of spinach to humble and remind me to become less and less so He will become greater and greater.