This last weekend we celebrated our oldest son’s birthday. I won’t tell you which one since both he and I don’t feel the truth applies in this case. Our little house, which can feel small with three of us, swelled to 20, and Christopher, lover of a good party, was in his element, moving around talking with various groups of friends who had formed in the living room, the kitchen, the dining room, and outside on the patio.
To start things off, I had decided to make homemade salsa. Chandler’s choice for his Christmas gift to his mother this year had been a 4-cup Cuisinart chopper/grinder, and as soon as we opened it up, I knew I was going to have to get a good salsa recipe.
Some years ago, I was speaking at a church and went to the pastor’s house afterwards with a number of friends from the congregation, and he made a salsa up fresh, the likes of which I never forgot. So I emailed the pastor and asked if he would be interested in divulging his secret recipe and he did! Sent it right back to me with detailed descriptions of exactly how to put it together including some priceless side comments, one of which I’m including in today’s Catch.
You’ll notice this is the second phase of production, the first being a blend of Anaheim and serrano peppers, onion, garlic, cilantro and seasonings.
Phase Two:
Now dump in two cans of diced tomatoes (make sure they are not seasoned with Italian or Mexican anything). Just plain, diced tomatoes. Now (AND THIS IS CRUCIAL) give the processor one or two quick little pumps to mix everything together. You do NOT want to over-process here. It’ll make the salsa foam up. It’s sort of like when a Christian is “OVER-SAVED.” They just get all foamy and they’re not too much fun to be around. You’d almost prefer them to be a bit under-saved. Well, salsa is the same way. Make sure the tomatoes are fairly chunky and not over-processed. You can always pump it once more, very quickly, if you have to.
Though I think we all probably have in mind something of what my pastor friend means by being “over-saved” or “under-saved,” I would love to hear back from you some creative descriptions of what you would call an “over-saved” and/or an “under-saved” Christian. This could be fun (and educational, too). I’d give you some of my own ideas but I don’t want to skew the discussion.
Also this gives me a chance to get you thinking about a new project we’d like you to contribute to. It’s a Catch of the Day cookbook (not the actual title), but with your stories as to particular memories surrounding the creating and enjoying of your dish. We believe this will be an excellent gift to share with others and a unique way of showing the kingdom of God at work in our ordinary affairs of life. We will give you more details on this later, but for now, be thinking about a recipe with a story behind it that you could tell.
John Fischer The Catch 
When I was a teen and passing out Jesus tracks, going door to door handing out a portion of the bible to every house in town, (the campaign was called “Key 73) I was considered a great kid, till I let my hair grow out! As an older teen when I questioned the traditions and prejudice I found in the church, people couldn’t wait till the newness wore off and I settled into a more “normal” walk.
I lost friends because I was always pushing Jesus out there.
34 years since those days and I couldn’t give you one day of feeling “over-saved”
The only people I see with that kind of energy are young and idealistic. I’d take that over old and sarcastic any day.
I remember when I prayed and thought God might actually do something, I remember when we would meet around the courthouse and sing praise songs while praying for our friends and town. I remember when long haired drugged out freaks would stumble into a Christian Coffee Shop and leave set free. Not every freak made it but enough did that the city changed… for a while. Then the over-saved settled into churches and before you knew it the town looked the way it always had.
I won’t tell an overenthusiastic believer to calm down, they’ll do that soon enough on their own.
The footprints we left behind in many ways are still felt in our little town.
Thanks for getting it started and it was pretty wide open. “Key ’73” takes me back too as a freshly-saved teen honestly wanting to make a difference and for our church (Lutheran), that was offered. It led me to knock on the door of a ‘skid row bum’ and my adventure began with him. The Lord used it to teach me about life and pain and trying to have less fear (previous Catch I think). My girlfriend’s mom joined us on a visit to him and insisted that we both get TB tests. Hearing of “Key ’73” always reminds me that God can even use goofy programed stuff if we stay in touch with Him. “Over-cooked” would have been ‘doing the program’ but refusing the Open Door it leads to. Thanks Tim.
An over-saved Christian can be a lot like an over-cooked rib eye. A little crusty around the edges and sometimes tuff inside instead of tender with the juices still flowing!
“Overly saved” is someone who’s “So heavenly minded that they’re no earthly good”.
I like this, thought it was really good! 🙂
Exactly.
Ok — i will think about the over saved andcomment later — but please share the salsa recipe!
You’ll have to wait for the cookbook!
Interesting Catch again this morning – I enjoyed it a lot, as I usually do. I’ll say an “over-cooked” Christian to me is referring to a person that acts like they know it all and may know a lot about the Word of God, and get all foamy yet as seemly forgotten about the Lord’s love and His desire for us to show that love to everyone – including them that don’t act and worship as us.
And the “under-cooked” believer is the one is fun to be around, because there still cooking and you can see them developing or being cook to greatness ad are still in wonderment that their even saved or have become a Christian and still love to ask questions and learn more about their Savoir and how to express His great love.
Looking forward to reading brother John’s ideas…
Everybody is going the opposite direction that it took me but I like these thoughts too. I was leaning to under-cooked as Christians those that lost their enthusiasm but I think I like the other definitions better.
I’ll add, maybe a ‘over-cooked’ Christian and can be seen as one being a bit too similar to that of a “Pharisee” and always needing rules to be followed, and not jus the love of the Lord.
This one made me laugh because I immediately thought about Tyler Perry’s character, Madeah who says “Mistah Brown be too saved!”. My encounter with “too saved” came in the form of a note from a woman in a new church we attended. She handed me the note and I thought it would say how glad they were to have us in that church. Instead it was a list of random Bible verses which made no sense to me at that time in my life. Over saved can mean speaking to someone in Bible Verses, wearing long skirts, no make-up and a bun on top of the head and praying in restaurants. I just never could get into the praying over meals in public.
Over Saved / Over the Top – yes, they are out there. And, as a Christian sometimes I even feel uncomfortable with their “in-you-face” with everything Christian.
I like the phrase, possibly from St. Francis of Assisi, “preach the Gospel at all times, when necessary, use words”.
But it takes all kinds to make up the bigger Fisch bowl!
Over-saved. Hmmm… Getting back to those tomatoes: the chunks are what give it a desirable texture, and allow for the different flavors to stay intact until… It’s so much better when the different flavors come together in that delicious bite than when they’ve already come together in a homogenized, foamy soup. Perhaps the problem isn’t over-saved people, it’s over-saved churches that encourage conformity and convince people they should aspire to some homogenized standard of “Christian” behavior (some good, some not so good). Yes, of course, churches are made up of people, so it is up to each one of us to stay intact and not allow ourselves to fall asleep in the soft mush and get sucked under. Hearkening back to a phrase some author used, something like “the Christian ghetto”, to the extent we spend our free time in the church environment, the more homogenized we become, and we lose some of that delicious flavor and texture as a result. We all need to strive to find that perfect balance, and we know it when we taste it in others. How often do we find it surprisingly refreshing–considering the person we are experiencing is a Christian…
I’ll be the 2nd Timothy today (maybe the 3rd or 4th by the time I finish.)
My punny brain made me laugh when I read what John said, “…but I don’t want to skew the discussion.” And I immediately thought, “… stew the discussion.”
And yes, that led me to think about being stewed or over-cooked. Something that is stewed that has the right balance and mixture of ingredients is, oh, so heavenly; I’m thinking of jambalaya, but when over-cooked, that burnt flavor is, oh, not so much.
So yeah, just as food can be over-cooked in many different ways, Christians can be over-saved in many ways, too (or way stoo or whey stew = oh yuck!) Sometimes we can get so burrowed into studying theology that we forget about drinking the good news. We can get to arguing over giving a tenth of our spices—mint, dill and cumin. But we have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness. We should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former.
How often do we forget about helping our neighbor because we have to get to church on time, so that we can get back home to watch football or NASCAR (my favorite)? And who is our neighbor? Is our neighbor the family that lives next door (whether we like them or not)? Or what about the guy who is broken down beside the road? Or the woman whose husband ditched her and left her homeless? Or what about the family who can’t find work and have lost, or are losing their home? Or people whose lives have been shattered by a massive earthquake? While we strain to keep up with the Joneses who just got a new (fill in the blank)?
Do we take our neighbor a gospel tract and say to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but do nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.
I think there are sometimes when John backs off from poking us in the eye. So, once in a while we have to step up and poke ourselves in the eye. And once in awhile, God’s Word hurts; but what God pokes is always good. Even if we think we don’t like it.
I guess coming from a Protestant tradition into a Catholic one, the whole “saved” theology has always been something hard to wrap my brain around. I completely understand what your Pastor friend had in mind with the “over-saved” attitude though; the individual that seems to know all truth and sees most everyone else around as either “not saved” or else “under-saved.” Perhaps the “under-saved” is a work in progress which is where we all really are anyway.
Over saved- self-righteous, judgmental, won’t listen to to another opinion ( they name streets after people like this, one way), throwing out the baby with the bath water
Under-saved- Jesus on their own terms, pick and choose Christianity, can’tstay in a church long enough to keep the pew warm
Overcooked seems to apply to a group of Christians I heard whining and moaning recently about how anti and unchristian the philosophic and intellectual environment was in their profession, how faith was considered silly in this scientific, academic milieu, and therefore how uncomfortable and difficult it was to work in that atmosphere (and where not coincidentally political conservative views were also derided). And, how, by clear implication, their lives would be so much easier and better if Christian values and faith were just the norm.
I simply don’t get this need, by what I consider this type of overcooked believer, to live in the padded cell of a Christian workplace, a Christian community, or a Christian nation. Just be a darn Christian and live your life in an exemplary way and give a reason for the hope within you when there’s an opportunity.
Read your Catch daily…
Ok, I usually would not write but your Catch of today did not set well with me.
God is perfect so he does not over-save or under-save.
Were the disciples over-saved…as many of them gave their life for there belief, as do many today.
Here are the questions of yourself I would like for you to answer…
1. Why am I uncomfortable with those I consider oversaved?
2. Do others consider me over-saved because I write the Catch?
3. Does living in California reflect the fear I feel for being a Christian in a world that “blacklist” outspoken Christians.
So I am not sure I understand what you are trying to say.
I will continue to read the Catch.
Be Blessed and Happy Valentine’s Day
“Over-saved” and “under-saved” are not real states, they are just terms of reference that might unlock some hidden thinking about how we live (or don’t live) the Christian life.
The salsa recipe says not to overdo it or it will froth and be foamy. There are boundaries within which a good salsa is made. The over saved are outside the boundaries, they let themselves be trampled on emotionally and physically. Jesus went to the cross willingly, but not without His dignity intact. His boundaries were in place…..He was arrested because He let them, He did not play the victim, or vehemently protest because He was innocent. When the high priest’s servant slapped Him for no apparent reason he confronted the man. He cleared the temple because it was not a house of prayer as God intended. Jesus knew the process He had to go through to save the world, but did not do so as a woos. His boundaries were intact. Being over saved and frothy is in many ways an emotional state that has gone beyond what is godly. It is doing our christian walk sickeningly well and totally outside the boundaries God intended.
This is excellent food for thought. Thank you!
I’m not sure we need to put people in labeled boxes. Somehow we can get pretty judgmental doing it, don’t you think? Jesus himself was often criticized for being “too much” or “not enough” by people of his days depending on their presumptions or prejudices. Do we want to do that too?
We are to be his witnesses – his life being revealed in us his followers, and make disciples of all nations. In other words, let Jesus be the one we follow, and help others to follow him, and him alone, not what we think is good. Who, may I ask, has struck the perfect “balance” anyway? Pray for each other, if nothing else we can do. Let God show each of us things we need to do or to change, in his way, in his time. And help us to listen to him. We are often products and victims of bad teachings and bad theologies without knowing it. And we often pass those on to others too, without knowing it. Just as God has shown us his mercy, let us show the same to our brothers.
Now I don’t know if you’ll call me another “over-saved” ! If so, so be it!
Your point is well made and well taken. Except that Jesus was not very kind to the Pharisees. Sometimes it is necessary to point out what a follower of Jesus is NOT so as to remove perceived barriers to an unbeliever’s faith.
I love, love , love that we can have these conversations! Not agree, agree, think differently and are all a part of the body of Christ. There are not many places that we can do this. Thank you everyone for your thoughts and I’m so glad that there over- saved, under- saved, over-cooked, under cooked or whatever. None of us are perfect and most of us have a lot more to learn and to share, that’s why we are still around. I have appreciated these comments.
OK, Sherri, we’ll continue this interesting conversation. You’re welcome to join in any time!
I know Jesus had some very harsh words for the religious leaders in his time, and not just for the Pharisees. Nicodemus was a Pharisee and Jesus had a conversation with him that led up to John 3:16. When he did chastise, he was very to the point – whether it be hypocrisy, or self-righteousness, or unbelief, or spiritual pride, or simply being “blind guides”. He knows the heart of men and he is never mistaken. We, however, don’t and aren’t.
I like the “common ground” approach. Pointing fingers at others’ faults just might land us where the Pharisees stood.
Have already left a comment but thought this might help on the boundary issue.
My mother in law’s husband made all the decisions. She was not allowed to make any. She chose to comply. Now that her husband has passed away she expects her children to do what her husband used to do, make all the decisions for her. She uses anything from tears, to flattery to guilt trip to get her children to comply. This has gone on for about 3 or 4 years and is gathering negative frothy, and foamy momentum. My brother in law, who has given in to her wiles which now border on harrasment, is on the point of a nervous breakdown. So as a means to avoid such a breakdown he, and my wife(His sister) had a conference phone call (we all live in the same city) to set up boundaries because my mother in law is violating his. My wife does not allow her boundaries to be violated by her mother and treats her mother with tough love, that her brother does not have the ‘heart’ to do.
Since the conference call, my wife and her brother decided that their mother should stew on all that was discussed. There has been a definite lack of communication for the last 5 days’ from her. My brother in law sent an email to his mother to see if she is ok. To me my brother in law is enticing my mother in law to violate his boundaries once again. It will start ‘innocently’ enough, and gather momentum. She should be the first to communicate that she has changed her attitude or not, and that can require agonizing waiting, but wait you must. Otherwise you give back the power you took back when boundaries were set.
The over saved ‘entice’ people to violate their boundaries and take away their power, often reasoning that a christian must be loving. Loving and being stomped on are two different things. Because people entice others to violate their boundaries does not give anyone the right to be a violator, but it happens that there is always a predator out there willing to comply.