We Are Pond Scum

A former pastor at St. Andrew frequently referred to us sinful beings as pond scum.  Her analogy likened us to the stinky, smelly floating goo that gathers at the corners and fringes of a pond, offending the visual and olfactory pleasantries of an otherwise beautiful scene.  We are so far from being able to keep from sinning that we were no better than pond scum.

Our self-reflections and self-examinations during Lent might send us to thinking of ourselves in the likeness of pond scum.

Perhaps sometimes we are….stinky, smelly, gooey weeds and slime gathering at the fringes of society, offending others by our faults and mistakes. 

But pond scum has value, too. 

Pond scum, a mass of algae, is redeemed by the gifts it provides to the life of the pond (and others).

1.       Pond scum absorbs the excess nutrients in a pond, often produced by decaying matter or water run off from land.  What is old (decay) becomes new.

2.       Pond scum provides a nutrient food source for fish.

3.       Pond scum provides a place for small fish to hide from bigger fish.

4.       Pond scum provides a safe haven for small species of animals, like turtles and frogs, to lay their eggs.

5.       Pond scum (algae) may be a future fuel source as it is loaded with oil within its cell walls.

6.       Pond scum (algae) harvested in algae farms is used as a fertilizer for crops.

Pond scum becomes smelly when it dies.

We die a little bit each time we succumb to the temptations of the world.  We die a bit more each time we refuse to use our God-given gifts for the benefit of others. 

In other words, when we sin, we die a little more, and stink a little more.

We are redeemed simply because of the Grace provided by the One who has breathed the Spirit into our lives and gifted us with talents, skills, knowledge and assets that we are to use to serve others.

Will you be the kind of pond scum that provides a benefit to others, or will you die a stinky, smelly goo?

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