Continually Faithful

Tea has become among the world’s most popular drinks. It has been the centerpiece of social action, in settings ranging from parties to mid-morning refreshment. It has been proven to provide health benefits. Yet perhaps taste is the primary reason for its popularity. Among the many varieties of tea, black tea has proven to be particularly popular. Of the 84 billion servings of tea in the U.S. in 2017, approximately 86% were black tea.

Today, black tea is the byproduct of tea leaves produced through a careful process. But the discovery of black tea is said to have been the result of an accident.

According to the legend described by author Babette Donaldson, the presence of soldiers prevented workers in China from properly finishing their harvest: “The fresh green leaves were left to oxidize too long, turned brown, and ruined the day’s harvest.”

While trying to fix this mistake, they were “pleasantly surprised with the accidental result of the smoky black tea.” They could not have imagined that such an accident might have led to the discovery of what has become one of today’s most popular drinks.

Life can be full of surprises like this. Looking back, we might recognize how events that initially seemed to be mistakes became advantageous. How seemingly wrong decisions eventually proved beneficial.

These are reasons why we always must move forward in faith. To commit everything to the Lord, even our “mistakes.” Always to “trust Him” (Psalm 37:5). When we commit our actions to Him, we are to believe that, then, our “plans will succeed” (Proverbs 16:3).

In your life, commit everything you do to the Lord, even the “mistakes,” and things that may not make sense. Continue operating in faith. Continually planting. Continually serving. Continually believing.