What's Under Your Butter?

I was eating with one of my kids a few weeks back when we decided to stop off at the local Waffle House. I have written about Waffle House about seven years ago...you can read it here: http://mylifeasjohn.blogspot.com/2009/01/always-is-long-time.html
Anyways, I ordered what I always order and sat back and had a great conversation with Mollie and drank some coffee as we waited on our food. As the waitress set the food on my table, I noticed something that was quite odd...there was butter already on my waffle! This has never happened to me before. I wasn't sure if this was a new thing company wide or a new thing because it was a pretty new Waffle House. Either way, I began to spread that glob of deliciousness around on the top of my waffle and as the butter began to melt, I noticed something. The word WAFFLE HOUSE had been baked into my waffle which was unnoticeable until the butter melted.I took a photo of that with my phone and just came across it today and the Lord just spoke to me about it so I am writing this.
I wonder when people look at you and me, what do they see? When everything in our life begins to melt away and who we really are is visible and plain to see, what name do they see?
This past week as my wife and I dropped our daughter off at college, her place of residence did not have all the paperwork they needed to give her a key to her room. We were very frustrated. We had taken every step, though we thought to make sure everything was set and ready and it wasn't. I was bothered. I wasn't happy. I was getting warm with this young lady who worked there, I rarely get HOT. HOT only happens when a strange teenager jumps off a diving board onto my son and almost drowns him at a public pool. HOT only happens when an adult neighbor is secretly taking pictures of my kids while hiding behind a tree. I wasn't hot...but getting warmer by the second. As we began to get things straightened out, this young lady who earlier had felt my "warmth" walked by me. I stopped her and apologized for the way that I acted. I told her that she was doing a great job and gave her a hug. Why in the world did I do that...because when things began to get warm for me, after my patience began to melt away, what she was seeing was anything but JESUS written on me.
We do it all the time. When money gets tight. When traffic gets bad. When that test grade wasn't what you thought it should be. When things in general begin to heat up and our true character begins to reveal who we are.
The Apostle Paul stated in Ephesians 4:1-3...I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
Paul was speaking to the early church and what he said is so true to you and I and the people we face each and every day. He said when things get warm and you begin to allow the circumstances of the world to melt you away, combat that with humility, gentleness, patience and love. In doing so, you and I will not only do what we have been called to do but we will reveal under all that mess the name which is above all names and the one that dwells within us...JESUS!

Consider Your Ways...Pastor John