Persistence to Reach the Heart

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alatians 6:9, 10: And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith. 

I’ve discovered something remarkable. It turns out that you don’t have to throw out your sprouted onions! I know, why am I so excited about onions? Is it because spring is here and I’ve got gardening on my mind? Well, the truth is they remind me of me. Is it because I stink and make people cry? No! Just like an onion, I have layers. As open as I can be about sharing my experiences, it is but the tip of the iceberg; my depths run deep, and I do not show them readily.   

Aimee had set aside some onions the other day because they had gotten “squishy” and begun to sprout. I was inspired to look into why people just discard the onions when that happens. Thanks to “YouTube University” I learned that you could plant those onions to get new ones. Just in time for planting season, too! All you have to do is peel away down to the little bulbs from which the stalks grow. If they don’t have white roots growing yet, pop them in a little water till the roots grow, then you can replant them.  

The beautiful thing about plant life is its sheer determination to survive. It does what it has to in order to stay alive. The onion, as it begins to sprout, is trying to reach the light. It sacrifices its outer layers to grow and survive. We can have an entirely new, fully grown onion with just a little effort.  

I took the onions, about six of them, and began to peel them, layer by layer, in order to reach the heart of the bulb. It turns out that only the outer layers were rotting but the core was quite healthy. I discarded the rotten layers and saved the good layers. Aimee later made delicious onion fritters.  

This whole process inspired me. Some people with layers sacrifice the outer, more visible layers in order to survive. They have been hurt in life, they survived some tragic circumstances, and yet, they’re still going. On the outside they may be “unlovely” or “cantankerous” or quite simply undesirable. But what we fail to realize is that if we take our time and persistently work to get past those “stinky” layers, we’ll eventually get to the real person, the one that has been hiding from the world trying not to get hurt again.  

There are few and far between who are willing to commit to that level of discovery, investment, and loving persistence, so most “onions” get cast aside, ignored, or sacrificed to the waste bin of life. That’s unfortunate, because just like onions making a dish savory and lovely, they could enrich our lives if we allow it.  

The scripture for today reminds us that we need to be persistent in doing good. Not just because we think it’s worth it or because we’re waiting for a return on our investment, but because God sees us and knows our worth. He persists in getting to our core–the pure and real part of who we are, of who we were meant to be. He endures the crying and the ugly, rotten layers because His love is incredible and awesome.  

So if an “onion” person has crossed your path, prayerfully consider investing in finding the real person inside. It won’t be easy. Sometimes you’ll cry, but in the end you may find that your life is much richer for discovering someone special at the core.