Rotten Bananas in the Hands of the Baker

By Kaelyn Pfenning

Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship.

Romans 12:1 (NIV)

Have you ever tasted a rotten banana? Eww. Rotten bananas are squishy and nasty. Yet, a baker mashes out the nastiness, adds a few ingredients, puts the bread in the oven and serves warm deliciousness called banana bread. Yummy!

Just as rotten bananas are squishy and nasty, all of us are sinners. Nevertheless, in the same way the baker restores rotten bananas into a tasty treat, the Everlasting Father makes something beautiful out of the lives of those who seek Him with all their hearts.

A baker mashes rotten bananas; the Creator’s Word helps us squash bad attitudes. A baker adds butter; our Savior pours out grace to hold us together. A baker stirs in sugar, an egg and vanilla; the Wonderful Counselor offers encouragement, fellowship, and hope. A baker mixes in baking soda and a little bit of salt; our Lord gives us the Holy Spirit to help us grow and strengthen us for trials. A baker finishes up with a bunch of flour; the Bread of Life freely gives us the Bible to make us firm and steadfast in the truth.

Once all the ingredients are together, the baker pours out the batter into a pan as the only wise God gets us ready for His chosen locations. Finally, a baker puts the bread in the oven, and the Lamb of God takes us through many troubling situations to teach us to be strong in Him. When He brings us out of the fire, we are more ready to serve Him by giving our lives to save as many people as possible.

We are like rotten bananas in the hands of a baker. As a baker turns rotten bananas into a delicious delicacy, our Redeemer transforms fallen, sinful humans into living sacrifices, which are a fragrant offering to God.

Kaelyn Michelle Pfenning is currently
employed as a staff writer for The People-Sentinel in Barnwell, SC. She
graduated from North Greenville University in May 2010 with a bachelor of art degree in Print Media and had a number of articles published in the college paper The Skyliner and the Greer Citizen, a local newspaper. She is the third child in a family of six members total and attended one of the Write2Ignite conferences held at NGU.