Recently, my 6th graders were learning about mixtures, compounds and solutions. A simple lab included with this content tests solubility. How much sugar and salt can water hold at varying temperatures? As science teaches, my students found that the cold water held less than the hot water. We see this often in day to day life- dissolving sugar into our sweet tea, mixing Gatorade powder into water, adding our sweetener of choice to coffee- but how is this possible?

” The reason why sugar dissolves at a faster rate in hot water has to do with increased molecular motion. The added energy in the hot water causes water molecules to move faster and sucrose molecules to vibrate faster. This added movement tends to make the bonds between sucrose molecules easier to overcome. ” (www.middleschoolchemistry.com)

My Solubility

The solubility rate of water is determined by its temperature. The effectiveness of my Gatorade powder rests in the ability of the water molecules to take on the flavoring. My iced tea’s capability to take on its sweetness is determined by the capacity of the water to embrace the sugar.

This made me think about how our own lives may also have a varying range of solubility. During certain periods of time, I have been more open to accepting the advice of others while other times being more closed. How soluble we are to the advice of others (like my sweet iced tea) can play a great deal into our effectiveness.

Over the years, teaching has offered me many opportunities to allow the advice of experienced teachers to dissolve and become part of my story. But I am pressed to take this even deeper. More importantly than my solubility as a teacher is my solubility as a follower of Christ. How willing and able am I to absorb the teachings of Christ? These lessons might come directly from His word or from others around me. How much works its way into my life and keeps from settling out at the bottom?

How do we build our faith? This question seems simple. Simple to ask, but difficult to answer because the answer requires effort on our part.

Just like how the water molecules move faster as they are heating, our own application of energy is what allows us to absorb God’s truth as it is stirred into us. The more we work to fill ourselves with His truth, the more easily it will dissolve and become part of who we are. The more we ask the Spirit to fill us, the more our faith molecules open up allowing growth. The more we look to our Savior for truth, the deeper that truth roots into our lives.

So, yes, today I feel like iced tea, and I want so much that my Savior fill every crevice allowing me to become the sweet drink the He has planned for me.

I would also encourage you to consider today:

• Where in your life, might you be holding tight to those molecules?Fighting the will of God in your life?
• What parts of your life need a stirring to allow God’s truth to become part of who you are?

” For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works,which God prepared in advance for us to do. ” -Ephesians 2:10 NIV