Message summary: "Set your affection on things above, not on things on earth" (Colossians 3:2). This will go a long way in keeping us from a bad-itude!

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"We remember the fish we ate in Egypt at no cost—also the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions and garlic" (Numbers 11:15). "Set your affection on things above, not on things on earth" (Colossians 3:2).

Last night we had a group of friends over from our Crossroads Adult Bible Fellowship for ice cream and watermelon. They don't necessarily go together but a watermelon gathering just doesn't have the appeal of an ice cream gathering! The ice cream was from Turkey Hill, a local dairy where we both served as chaplains over 20 years ago. The watermelon was grown right here on Kraybill Church Road at Levi and Leah's farm.

Ice cream is not in the Bible although they would have undoubtedly enjoyed it. How many people have you met that don't like ice cream? Ice cream in Israel is called "Glidah" from the word for frost or cold used when Jacob experienced frost at night while fleeing Laban (Genesis 31:40). So now you know!

Watermelon contains about 92 percent water and 6 percent sugar. Since it consists mostly of water, its name makes perfect sense! Our friend Rick grows watermelons and muses about the marvel of going out to his patch and observing that the soil around the plant is bone dry so he wonders aloud, "Where does the watermelon get all that water?" I wonder that as well.

The first daily text contains the only reference to "melon" in the Bible. From seeds in King Tut’s tomb archaeologists and historians have tracked thousands of years of evidence for Egypt being the progenitor of the refreshing red fruit. So I understand why they would miss it, especially in the dry, hot desert.

The children of Israel had been miraculously delivered from Egypt. Their conditions as slaves were horrific affecting many generations. But during their journey in the wilderness when their only food supply was manna day after day after day they began to talk and dream about the variety of foods they enjoyed in Egypt including the melon.

As the miraculous events of the Exodus began to fade from their memories and they experienced hardship on their way to the Promised Land the Israelites became hardened. Instead of expressing gratitude (grateful attitude), they expressed baditude (bad attitude). They began to grumble about their present circumstances and fondly remembered the food they partook of in Egypt.

It's great that they had some good memories from Egypt amidst all the affliction they endured but that's not where they belonged. Likewise we all may have some pleasant memories of our life before following Christ. The Bible acknowledges "the pleasures of sin for a season" (Hebrews 11:25)

But it's a dangerous thing to place your affections where they should no longer reside. The grumblers began to test the Lord as they grumbled about their daily provisions. Many lost their lives as a result when the death angel passed by. There's a lesson in this story for us as well since we can easily fall into the grumbling attitude of the Israelites. (See 1 Corinthians 10).

"Set your affection on things above, not on things on earth" (Colossians 3:2). This will go a long way in keeping us from a baditude!

Be encouraged today!  Hebrews 3:13

Stephen & Brooksyne Weber