Boiling Point

"Keep at boiling point by the Holy Spirit"

Romans 12:8 (as translated by Harrington Lees)

This kept my attention as I read the class handout about leadership. I'm sure that I read the rest, but I really am not sure what it all said. This statement grabbed me and kept its grip on me much longer than I anticipated. I mulled it over as I read it, thought about it in the shower, contemplated just before I closed my eyes, and was even awakened by these thought in the middle of the night.

"Keep at boiling point by the Holy Spirit" Romans 12:8

What does that even mean? I thought about the little bit of science that I do understand. Well, not so much that I understand it but deal with it every day thanks to the special Valley Forge stove tops that have two real settings: high and off. When I'm boiling water there seems to be two states: not boiling and steam. I'm sure the boiling part does exist but I seem to miss it every time I need it. This tells me that getting to boiling isn't impossible, and burning out is always close by, but staying at exactly 212 degrees F is difficult. So is the life of a Christian. Easy to get fired up about Christ and easy to burn out from being too fired up (do you remember that parable about the seeds who grew fast....), but great is the task of staying at boiling point.

"Keep at boiling point by the Holy Spirit" Romans 12:8

Not on your own power or strength or determination, but by the Holy Spirit. Water cannot determine to boil. Unlike water, a Christian does have say in determining not to boil, as this illustration goes. This should serve as a reminder to those who are or want to be or are called to be in any kind of position of leadership or authority in the church: it is not ok to fall apart, to burn up, to dry to steam. While there are steps and precautions one can do to help avoid this issue, we are not left to our own ability to do this. As a matter of fact, we are called to NOT do it on our own. It is our responsibility to allow the Holy Spirit to keep us at that point of contentment and freedom, also known as the boiling point.

So the next time you are burned out, weary, exhausted in this journey towards Christ, remember:

"Keep at boiling point by the Holy Spirit" Romans 12:8