Onions

by Catherine Osornio
Published October 10, 2005

As I was cooking the other day, I started thinking about onions. Depending on the variety, they come in several colors. Some are sweet; others very strong. They can be sautéed, fried, baked, dehydrated, and cooked in soups and stews. They can even be eaten raw. Onions grow underground from seeds that turn into bulbs. Once the bulbs reach maturity, they are pulled from the ground and cured.

Of course, the downside of onions is the sulfuric acid that escapes from any incisions into the vegetable and mixes with the water in the eyes to bring forth tears. Sometimes if you chop quickly enough you can escape with little or no tears. Other times it takes but a few seconds for streams of water to cascade down the cheeks.

My favorite onions are the carmelized ones that are eaten with steak. I am amazed at how strong-smelling ringlets become, after much heat and sautéing, such a sweet and savory treat.

This metamorphosis reminds me of our lives as Christians. When we first come to Christ we come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Some of us come with a sweet disposition. Some of us come off very strong. Under the pressure of God’s transforming process, we often shed many tears. We come under the fire of trials that are meant to build character and make us more Christ-like.

God measures out the right heat for each of us in our trials. He knows what we can and cannot handle. When we are willing to obey Him, the end result will be like the carmelized onions: something wonderful to add flavor to life. On the other hand, if we choose not to obey the Lord, the end result will be a burnt out faith that leaves a bad taste in one’s mouth.

God knows exactly the kind of person He wants us to be molded into. The process is long and hard. But without the changing, we will be raw and strong and pungent like a fresh onion. With the changing, we will eventually be transformed into the person God created to bring Him glory.

So next time you cook with onions, don’t mind the tears. It’s another reminder of how gracious and merciful our sovereign God really is.

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