During a conversation with one of my Baking classes last week, a student asked if we could make the muffins that they sell in gas stations, because they were sooooo good. I had to explain a couple of things to the class. Number one, those muffins have the texture and flavor of cake more than muffins. Number two, those muffins are mass produced and would be very difficult to duplicate in a classroom situation. After the discussion, I started to feel sad for my students. I don’t think many of them had ever tasted a muffin that was made from scratch. They had been led to believe that gas station muffins were the real thing. I wondered if they had ever tasted a biscuit that didn’t come out of a tube. Had they ever experienced bread, hot from the oven? Had they ever had the intoxicating smell of baked goods wafting through their home? It saddened me that as a society, our tastes have been so diluted that we accept things like gas station muffins, Ramen noodles, and instant pudding as haute cuisine.
We have also done that in other areas of life. What presents itself as a loving relationship is in actuality just a poor imitation of the intimacy that a true, deep relationship should be. Why then do we lower our standards to accept poor imitations? Are we so desperate for anything that we settle? Have we been so misguided that we can’t even recognize what the real thing is?
Our relationship with God is no different at times. We settle for a poor imitation of a relationship with Him. We base our faith on whether or not we are “feeling” it. In reality, faith has God as the focus, not our feelings. Sure, a moving song, a well worded prayer, or an inspiring sermon can be beneficial and can produce those feelings that we want, but they are a poor substitute for a real, honest, and thriving relationship with God. The kind of relationship that allows for faith when the feelings aren’t there. The kind of relationship that causes us to fall on our face before Him and cry when there are no words. The kind of relationship that is quiet and hears His voice gently telling us trust Him. The kind of faith that requires us to do His will when we don’t feel it, when we don’t understand it, and when it’s not convenient.
Don’t settle for poor imitations. Whether it’s food, love, or faith, refine your tastes so that you aren’t satisfied unless it’s the real thing.
No comments:
Post a Comment