Ahoy and good morning. I hope this blog finds you well and sustains you with a fresh concise perspective.
Have you ever baked something? For me, chocolate chip cookies are my favorite to make and more importantly eat (mainly because you get the dough.) In order to successfully create the dough we all know and love, there is a recipe that must be followed. First some shortening, milk, eggs and so forth. I follow the recipe to the letter because I know that the end product is my goal. The baking soda may seem insignificant in the production to me, but from experience, I now know the lack of, or surplus of, has dramatic effects on my ultimate product. In the Chapter today James makes the same point about living according to God's will. He challenges us not to leave out the 'baking soda' just because we don't immediately see the significance.
“You can’t pick and choose in these things, specializing in keeping one or two things in God’s law and ignoring others. The same God who said, “Don’t commit adultery,” also said, “Don’t murder.” If you don’t commit adultery but go ahead and murder, do you think your non-adultery will cancel out your murder? No, you’re a murderer, period.”
How I feel about something at a particular time sadly never has and likely never will sanctify me. Yet I often go to that well when what I want to do fails to line up with what the Bible proclaims on a topic. I decide to make what I consider to be a minor concession every now and then so my lifestyle is more aligned with whatever I value at the time. But what if some of those concessions are the 'baking soda?'
The point I think James is trying to make with the extreme examples or murder and adultery is that partial compliance isn't the answer. He is asking for us to go all in. To act on faith and trust His judgement even when we might not fully understand it. To accept some risk by not just submitting to God's plan when convenient. And God's not asking us to turn off our brains either. He provided them so we can reason and understand this world. Hopefully one of the logical conclusion we can reach is that He who fully experienced this life and sees things from the perspective of eternity can provide us with an effective strategy to live out today.
I want my chocolate chip cookies to have their full richness and reach the potential they are capable of. To that end I'm submitting to the recipe and putting my faith in Mrs. Betty Crocker. In the same way, I want to reach my full potential so going forward I endeavor to put more trust in the way of life God has lined out, lest I wind up a flat and dry cookie.
Have a great week, share with a friend and be sure to leave a comment / like the post.
-the contrary disciple