Make no mistake about it. God created all of us, provides for all of us, and loves all of us, however, His treatment of us is different. His treatment of us depends on our personality, gifts and talents.
Isaiah uses farming metaphors to explain how God treats us.
First, Isaiah declares that our fallow ground must be broken up. But He doesn't continue breaking up the fallow ground forever. For us, this means that our trials are brought to an end as soon as they accomplish their purpose. This takes longer for some people.
The next step is to sow the seed with discernment. Notice the prophet says the cummin was scattered, but the wheat was put in rows (Isaiah 28:25-26). God carefully selects the discipline especially suited for our particular needs.
Isaiah explains how the caraway is treated differently from the cummin. These plants serve different purposes; therefore, they are treated differently.
Caraway is not threshed with a sledge, nor is a cartwheel rolled over cummin; caraway is beaten out with a rod, and cummin with a stick. (Isaiah 28:27)
Finally, Isaiah explains how the farmer harvests his crop. With extreme care, he beats out the caraway with a light stick, and strikes the cummin with a heavier blow. For the wheat, the farmer uses a wheel just heavy enough to avoid crushing the grain (Isaiah 28:27-28).
The farmer uses special tools to plant and harvest his tender plants without destroying them. In the same way, God takes into account how frail and fragile we are. And He treats us differently. God uses the gentlest possible touch for our condition, never allowing an affliction to be greater than we can bear.
Let us also be sensitive when dealing with different people. Some are like the caraway plant that should not be threshed with a sledge. Some are like the cummin plant that should not be rolled over with a cartwheel. Some are tougher and can be driven over with a wheel and threshed like wheat.
God uses different tools for dealing with different people. We should do the same.
Comments