Violet Beauregarde

Oompa Loompa doom-pa-dee-do
I have another puzzle for you
Oompa Loompa doom-pa-da-dee
If you are wise, you’ll listen to me

Gum chewing’s fine when it’s once in a while
It stops you from smoking and brightens your smile
But it’s repulsive, revolting, and wrong
Chewing and chewing all day long
The way that a cow does

Oompa Loompa doom-pa-dee-da
Given good manners, you will go far
You will live in happiness too
Like the Oompa Loompa doom-pa-dee-do

1971 Film

Violet was a competitive, win-at-any-cost, pre-teen girl. She chewed gum non-stop for 3 months to win the world-record from her best friend. Her impulsiveness got the better of her when Wonka introduced the tour group to a very special piece of gum, that would take you through a three-course meal. Despite Wonka advising that she shouldn’t take it and eat it, Violet grabbed the gum and began to chew. Tomato soup became roast beef and baked potato which then turned into the most delicious blueberry pie. This is where the gum wasn’t quite ready for human consumption. The blueberry pie portion always filled the chewer with juice.

Violet can teach us a multitude of lessons, but as we look at the Christian world, the connection that comes to my mind is that some Christians tend to chew on the wrong things.

Dear brothers and sisters, when I was with you I couldn’t talk to you as I would to spiritual people. I had to talk as though you belonged to this world or as though you were infants in Christ. I had to feed you with milk, not with solid food, because you weren’t ready for anything stronger. And you still aren’t ready, for you are still controlled by your sinful nature. You are jealous of one another and quarrel with each other. Doesn’t that prove you are controlled by your sinful nature? Aren’t you living like people of the world? When one of you says, “I am a follower of Paul,” and another says, “I follow Apollos,” aren’t you acting just like people of the world?

1 Corinthians 3:1-4 NLT

Paul when addressing the Church in Corinth, had to lay it out saying you are not ready to go deeper, because you are being controlled by your sinful nature. I fear that many Christians today are still being fed milk and not solid food. I fear that they are ruminating on the gifts of God and not on God Himself.

I have heard of churches who fight and split over the color of the carpet, or have split because they couldn’t agree on which day to have communion. Now don’t get me wrong, there are things in our faith that are foundational and must be agreed upon, but carpet and day of communion aren’t them.

When the world sees Christians bickering and arguing over petty details they don’t see a place they want to be, they see another place that looks like the world. Instead of chewing and ruminating on the things that really don’t matter, maybe there is something better to chew on.

Oh, the joys of those who do not
    follow the advice of the wicked,
    or stand around with sinners,
    or join in with mockers.
² But they delight in the law of the Lord,
    meditating on it day and night.

Psalm 1:1-2 NLT

The word mediating in this verse is better translated ruminate. David thinks of himself like a cow chewing on grass when he chews on the law of the Lord.

Do you ruminate on the Word of God, or do you still long for milk?

And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.

Philippians 4:8 NLT