Brownies, Eggs, Coffee, and Bibles

      Let me prequel this by saying that the things I write about are almost always things I struggle with. So when reading this, just remember that - I don't have this all figured out, rather I'm working on the application of it :)

      I was just in the kitchen whipping up a batch of brownies (no, not homemade - but still good! :) As I was going through my normal ritual of "cleaning the bowl" (ie, eating the batter that never made it into the pan)  I suddenly thought about a friend of mine. See, this friend finds eating batter disgusting (cookie, brownie, whatever) because of the raw eggs in it. As I sat there I found something curious: I would never eat a raw egg, in fact the thought makes me slightly queasy, yet I've always loved batter. So how do I rationalize eating the batter, knowing the raw egg is there? I decided that since there are enough things in it that I like, it gives me reason to ignore the fact that something I'd normally avoid is in it too.

      Don't we seem to do the same thing with sin? An ugly sin, out in plain sight of everyone, is something we avoid, detest. Yet, when Satan mixes up a sin with a little something fun - perhaps even good - we partake, choosing to ignore the sin that we know is still there.

      It's kind of like with coffee. I don't really like the taste, but over the summer (due to lack of sleep) I would start drinking it mixed with hot chocolate - something I like. Little by little, I became more and more use to the taste of coffee - perhaps one day I may get so used to it that I'd drink it plain. In the same way, Satan slips us sins. First highly diluted ones. These then open the doors of us potentially getting sucked into bigger and bigger sins. We get used to the lifestyle/taste, and let our guard down.

      Lastly, this whole thought process made me think about ingredients, and the question: how, if someone wants to keep something out of their system, a person can avoid it? Answer: Look at the facts in the ingredient list of course!

       Many people read labels on food to see what is in it. They don't just take the item at face value (even if marketing people created the greatest logo and catchphrase). A conscientious person will look at the ingredients - see what is hiding beneath all the fun. This simple awareness of what we are really putting into our bodies can make the difference between a healthy and unhealthy person.

       Now, where does a person look to keep spiritually healthy? The Bible of course! Considering God created us, and has the best plans for us, it goes without saying that we should look to Him when we are trying to figure out what is really good. The world will "market" many things to us that it presents as good, but we must be vigilant to check the things that the world gives us against the truth of the Bible. This way we can avoid being taken down by the things of this world that can bring us a spiritually unhealthy place.