Peanut Butter and Grace, by Valaree Weiss
I worked for a small bookstore for a few years, near the Tacoma
Narrows Bridge. The best thing about working there was we had the ability to
borrow books. If we decided to keep one,
we could ask to have it taken of our paycheck and receive a discount. There
were no tablet devices to read a book at that time, so I found myself carrying
a variety of books. It was the era of inspired
reading in my lifetime.
The books were amazing and so were the dust covers, printed
artwork ready to be framed, in all shape and sizes. One in particular book caught
my attention, it simply stated, “Grace”.
I don’t remember who the author of the book was, but I still remember
the message of the book. It held me spell bound at first and I found it hard to
put down, till I read the part about peanut butter. It went something like this: There were
missionaries also known as teachers, who went to a remote part of the world to
do good. When the first family arrived they soon learned there was no peanut
butter to be found anywhere. In order to
get peanut butter it had shipped to them, at a huge expense. They decided to
give it up, they did so with good intentions and it became of way of life. The
missionaries lived in the remote area many years without any outside visitors
or newcomers. After many years alone a new missionary family moved into a nearby
village and they all became good friends very quickly. The new family began to
inquire on how to get peanut butter; because it was something they like to eat.
They soon learned there was no peanut
butter to be found. The newcomers decided they couldn’t live without peanut
butter and that they would have it shipped to them. It created great strife
between the two families; the family that had been there for many years couldn’t
understand why the newcomers just didn’t give up peanut butter like they had.
The strife became unbearable between the two families, the newcomers decided to
give up their post and go home.
After reading this, I read it again, and then I reread it a
third time making sure I didn’t miss a clue or an important fact. I was so disappointed
that I put the book down and quit reading it, because I didn’t understand what
peanut butter had to do with grace. The whole thing seemed ridiculous to me,
because I thought the families were there to do good. After some time had
passed, I finally pick up the book and finished reading it. What I learned was
the first family made a choice, not a bad choice, but a choice that was good
for them. They lived with the choice for so long it became like the law for
them and it wasn’t a bad thing, it was just choice. When it became a problem is
when they insisted that the new comers should follow their decision, to give up
peanut butter. They simply forgot they made a choice.
So what I learned from the peanut butter story is that
everybody makes a decision on how they should live and what is best for them. Everybody,
from rocket scientist to those who dig ditches makes a choice on what they
believe is right and wrong, and then how to live. This
election this year taught me a lot about myself and others, especially on
social networking. I learned is that we
all definitely have opinions; some are just more forward in stating them. There
were times I wanted so bad to comment on what I believe and I did a couple of
times. But I went back a deleted them. I believe that grace is something needed
to be given freely; even though we may not walk down the same path or believe
in the same things. Grace covers those things we don’t understand fully, yet
allows us to be friends no matter what we believe or choose how to live. I am
happy to report; the peanut butter story wasn’t real and really didn’t happen.
The author created a fable, a parable to teach about grace, one I have not forgotten,
and one that I will continue to work on.
