the sea sponge (Poifera meaning 'pore-bearing') is one of the simplest of multi-cellular animals. a sponge is a bottom-dwelling creature which attaches itself to something solid in a place where it can, hopefully, receive enough food to grow. a sponge is covered with tiny pores, which lead internally to a system of canals and eventually out to one or more larger holes. specially designed cells force water in and through the canal system, allowing it to feed, respire and poo. this picture illustrates the pumping action of a sponge, as it absorbs water bearing a (non-toxic) dye at its foot and forces this up through itself and out the top.my new job is something i can easily throw myself into, both whole-heartedly and whole-mindedly. it is a good thing. but i don't want to become my job - i don't want to eat, breathe and poo 'form'! what i want to do is to eat, breathe (and poo) jesus all the time. this is especially the case when i'm 'on the job', as it were (and now i am seriously begining to regret allowing the 'eat, breathe and poo' metaphor to carry on this far into my thought).
to leave the bodily references behind, i want to be defined by jesus, and not my job. in my previous job, i needed my identity reinforced to sustain me through a job i didn't like so much. now i again need my identity reinforced to prevent my enjoyable job from absorbing me entirely.
in other words, allow the sea sponge to interpret matthew 6:33 for you.
