“Shellfish…” (by Mel McGuire)

I was recently challenged by good friends to write on this subject. They sent me a video of a rabbi explaining how a lobster becomes uncomfortable in its shell as it grows and thus, develops a new shell, shedding the old one in a process called molting.

Crabs do this as well, and I used the image of a crab because quite frankly, it was easier to look at and distinguish between the old and the new. Molting is simply a process by which the old is removed so the new can take its place.

Like the lobster, the crab outgrows it shell. It becomes uncomfortable and begins to take on water so the old shell will swell. Meanwhile, the new shell, in the form of an exoskeleton, is formed underneath the old one.

Whereas the old shell is hard, the new one is soft and flexible. At some point, the process of molting begins and as the picture sequence illustrates, the old is replaced by the new. Notice however, that the new shell is larger than the one it replaced, the one it came out of.

Often God uses a similar growth process with His children. We become uncomfortable with certain areas of our life because we simply out grow them. It could be a relationship, a job, a lifestyle choice, or even a church or ministry.

Most shellfish, once the new soft skin is revealed, hide under a rock and stay there for a few weeks until their new shell is hard enough to provide protection against predators and their environment. Lobsters will eat the old shell, benefiting from the calcium it contains to speed up the hardening process of the new shell. Selah.

Instinctively, they understand that as a larger crab, they will face larger predators. And some of the predators they used to fear they can now ignore, because they have outgrown them. At the same time, places they used to fit in…they no longer can. BOOM.

As we grow in Christ, we also need to understand, “new level, new devil”, which technically is not true (the devil is the same old vile rascal), but the point being that as you mature, you must be able to deal with a different kind of spiritual attack.

You must take what you can, lessons learned for example, from the old to the new place, so you can become fully functional faster. Don’t reinvent every wheel.

As with the crab, some of the places you used to go and hide, will no longer protect you. You just don’t fit in there anymore! Don’t be afraid to hide “in the Rock” (that would be Jesus), until you are fully prepared to walk in your new station in life.

Understanding the process of molting will help us change our perspective on being uncomfortable. We will not automatically just seek to ease the pain, for doing so might stunt or restrict your growth!

God can use discomfort to prepare you for your next place. Leaders, for example, need to have thicker skin to deal with the criticism and judgment from subordinates. Sometimes the things that bother you are signs that you need to molt; shed the old and welcome the new.

Learn from the shellfish, and be willing to grow by replacing the old with something bigger, stronger, safer…something new.

“Evacuate… (by Mel McGuire)

Corpus Christi,TX, 8/22/99 The threat of Hurricane Bret, being rated at a force four, led to Padre Island and Corpus Christi being evacuated. Here, wise residents under the advance winds and rains that lead the main storm, jam Hwy 37 heading NW towards San Antonio out of Corpus Christi. Photo by DAVE GATLEY/FEMA News Photo

I am writing this during “Hurricane season”. I just happen to live in “earthquake country”, so I am not directly impacted by the various levels of tropical storms and hurricanes that threaten our country every year. Even if I did, I wouldn’t be…because I would evacuate.

I marvel at the people, given ample warning and amidst threats of biblical devastation, refuse to leave areas that are almost certain to be hammered by Hurricane “fill in the blank”.

Evacuate. This year saw newscasters go to unprecedented lengths to convince or even scare people into leaving. And still, faced with all the latest and updated information, there are those diehards who refuse to evacuate.

The image kind of tells the tale. The majority of folks are going one way…out, away from trouble. But not all. And when they choose to stay, it forces others to stay as well, so someone will be available to come and rescue those who refused to evacuate.

Now, before I get blasted for criticizing certain people, I am NOT talking about those who get caught in hurricanes because they couldn’t get out. I am talking about people who choose to stay when they could have left. There is a difference.

There are some hurricanes in our lives as believers too. When everyone and everything around is telling you to evacuate, do you choose to stay? Some of us stayed in relationships…we thought we could “ride it out”, only to be devastated in the end. Evacuate.

Sometimes it is a habit, a sin (let’s be honest) that is giving warning after warning that we will not be able to withstand its effects…and we choose to stay. And our friends, our pastors, our family…have to stay close as well. So they can come to our rescue…again.

Evacuate. Stop thinking you are so different or indestructible that you will be able to fix stuff as it breaks. Like a man thinking he will simply repair his freshly damaged roof in one hundred miles an hour winds! Evacuate.

Think about it. Listen to those who have survived the very storms you are about to face, learn from our foolish mistakes. When God says go, pack your stuff and go. Period.

There are times we all need to rebuild, and hurricanes can force you into that place. There is no need for you to risk your life, spiritual or natural, to save something God has slated for destruction.

To evacuate is not a sign of fear, or of defeat. Often it is a sign of wisdom and obedience. Whether it be a relationship, an institution, a job, a residence, or a lifestyle…when hurricane season comes, and the word is to “get out while you can” …evacuate.

God’s way of escape is not always to walk through the fire, or to put the fire out. Keeping you from the fire is just as powerful a testimony. Evacuate.

“Stake…” (by Mel McGuire)

I continue to meditate and marinate on the subject of discipleship. I was introduced to the concept of stakes…you know those supports used on young trees or plants?  My research unveiled some deep spiritual truths and my personal experience confirmed what I got from my “book learnin’”.

The purpose of the stake is to provide support for young trees or plants until they are strong enough to stand or grow on their own. In a garden, some plants bloom rather quickly, and the weight of their flowers can overwhelm their stem, causing them to bend or even break.

Gardeners use sticks or dead branches to “stake” the plant, giving it the strength it needs to “hold its own”. The stake is planted in the same soil as the plant, but it does not draw resources away from the plant. It is connected to the plant, but it is not a permanent bond.

The stake also provides a boundary for the young plant or tree, keeping it from overgrowing too soon and invading the space (and life source) of other plants. The stake is a temporary support system and a wise gardener knows it must be removed at some point or it will stunt the growth and development of the young plant or tree.

As a tree grows, its roots must grow deep and wide in order to find sufficient nutrients to survive. The outwards growth, or spread, is necessary to provide width to the base of the trunk. When a tree is staked too long, the trunk will not grow wide enough and later in life, strong winds can blow the tree over, sometimes even causing the trunk to break.

Discipleship is similar to staking. God will place people around you to help you grow. They should provide boundaries and help you bear the weight of your talents, desires, and calling. They provide strength for a season, but eventually God will pull them away so you can learn to stand in your own space and withstand the storms of life that are ordained for that space.

It is best to have someone who is planted in the same soil as you, without taking resources away from you. That speaks to mature individuals, who have not only been tested, but have passed their tests. These people, your stakes, must also understand that the bond they have with you is not a permanent connection, meaning they must eventually pull back so you can prove that you are strong enough to stand. You will not, you cannot reach your full potential unless they release you.

So be grateful for the people God has surrounded you with. Learn from them, lean on them, but be willing to grow into your full destiny and purpose. Make sure your trunk, your foundation, is both deep and wide so that you will not just survive, but thrive. Then your fruit will remain and become a source of life. Your presence will become a place of refuge and a shade for others.

Don’t hate the stakes, enjoy them while you can, for they are temporary and it is in your best interest that they eventually be pulled back. You cannot be afraid to grow without them, or even outgrow them.

Grow up. Your destiny is at stake.