Nose or Banana?

RISE AND SHINE FOR JESUS! \O/

By Pam Iannello - my late mother

A ministry of New Beginnings Baptist Church

“Is that a nose or a banana?”

I have to chuckle every time I remember the comeback my father used on us kids when we would delve into matters that were none of our business, as children often do. As soon as he uttered these words my vivid imagination immediately constructed a yellow banana protruding from the center of my face and I got the picture of how unbecoming being nosy really was! Are any of you ladies sporting around a banana today?

1 Peter 4:15 (KJV)

But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men's matters.

Here are four types of people that God lumps together in one dangerous group. We may not be guilty of killing, we may not have a problem with stealing and we might even be pleased to announce that we don’t have a criminal nature at all, but many of us are far too passionate about other men’s matters! God says that there are sufferings inconsistent with the character of Christ and it is a shame for Christians to have to be admonished for interfering in the business of other people. That means that there is a penalty for meddling, dear lady, and you will not escape the consequences of your snoopy behavior! Such suffering brings God’s people into ill repute.

Prying, probing, intrusive individuals might think they can conceal the forward spirit that grips them but they are easy to spot just as a long, bright yellow banana would be if it were sticking out from the middle of your face. The trouble is meddlesome individuals are so obsessed with spying out everyone else’s business they haven’t time to look upon their own! Consequently, they fail to realize how excessive and bad mannered their conduct has become…

1 Tim. 5:13 (KJV)

And withal they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house; and not only idle, but tattlers also and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not.

How far has your passion for information taken you? What houses have you driven yourself to in order to get your hands on more data? What phone number have you dialed of late to satisfy your craving for answers? What social settings do you move in and out of intentionally? As a pastor’s wife, I can tell you firsthand that many individuals are naturally curious about the pastor’s family and his life in general. While we understand that this role puts us in a very public position, it is astonishing at times how motivated some folks are toward knowing all our business. Ladies, if this kind of interest was pointed in the Lord’s direction how useful everyone would be! Sadly, God’s people are prone to indulging themselves in the wrong affairs, attaining nothing more than lots of experience in “nosey moseying”. The apostle Paul instructed us to attend upon the Lord without distraction… Perhaps it is not the pastor and his family you are exploring these days; could there be another person’s affairs you may be assertively investigating? May I ask a simple question? What do you plan on doing with the information you gain?? What bearing is it going to have upon your service to the Lord?

2 Thes. 3:11 (KJV)

For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies.

Biblically speaking, people who sport a banana on their face rather than a God-designed nose live a disorderly life by grossly misusing their idle time. They are off track – off their own and onto someone else’s! So too, bananas can’t smell and they can’t breathe; they can’t fulfill the role of a nose and make life-giving oxygen available to the body. Today, plastic surgeons can do almost anything with a nose, except keep it out of another person’s business! Ladies, the best antidote for a busybody is to put them to work, for such individuals are overly ambitious and under employed. Many times the people with the longest noses stay the longest at social gatherings hoping to collect bits and pieces of other men’s matters. And they usually have the most to take care of at home! Don’t you have to abandon your post in order to do your snooping and satisfy your vain curiosity? Who is left to look after your concerns while you are actively engrossed elsewhere? It only makes sense then that if we want to be sure our noses are functioning as God intended we better busy ourselves with our own matters and follow His order of living! The Bible says there are some that walk among us as busybodies; so from time to time it’s wise for all of us to double check whether we’ve got a nose or a banana!

God Bless,

Pam

Isaiah 60:1&2

Copyright 2002 Pamela A. Iannello

Revised 2006