The above title
looks foreign, and it is. Some friends
of ours, who are missionaries in Brazil, told me about it. Xuxu
(pronounced
zoo-zoo) is a vegetable used primarily as filler. It takes on the
flavor of
whatever it’s cooked with, loosing its identity to whatever accompanies
it to
the table.
This reminded
me of how many people are influenced by
the world around them, by whomever they are with. Wherever the wind
blows,
whichever direction the crowd goes, they follow. They loose their
identity to
the world around them. Paul spoke of this when he wrote, “So that we
may no
longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by
every
wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes”
(Ephesians 4:14). Being a Christian means we don’t reflect the world
around us,
but Christ who is in us (Colossians 1:27).
To carry the
analogy through, we must be distinctive in
our influence. We should permeate society, making a difference in the
lives of
people we contact. “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt
loses its
flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be
thrown
out and trampled underfoot by men” (Matthew 5:13). Rather than being
like a
tasteless vegetable, Jesus needs disciples who possess the quality of
being
like Christ. “Salt is good, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall
its
saltiness be restored? It is of no use either for the soil or for the
manure
pile. It is thrown away. He who has ears to hear, let him hear” (Luke
14:34-35).
It doesn’t take
any effort to reflect the world around
us. Reflecting the image of Christ, however, takes dedication,
commitment and
love for our Lord, who made eternal life possible. It’s the only way we
can
make a real difference in the world, in society and in the people we
know. Can
others see Christ in you, or do they merely see the world? Are you
filler or
something fulfilling?
XUXU