A Little Truth in a Cookie
27/06/10 16:27
Every now
and then Robin tricks me into a little Chinese; she
loves the food, I do not. So, when she asked me where
I would like to go to eat for Father’s Day, I
suggested… Chinese. I can’t resist that
look I get from her that says, “You’re
the man!” Yes, I
sacrificed the opportunity to delight my own little
‘buds so that I could get that one little
look; Yeah
Jim, you’re the man!”
I enjoy watching Robin enjoy the food. I am usually up at the buffet longer than everyone else. It’s not because I am savoring the delectable treats, I’m picking the lesser of evils. The problem with Chinese food for me is two-fold; do you get my drift? I think its just wrong that I should eat something that makes me pay for it twice! There’s no justice. Then, to top it all off, at the end of the meal, the waitress brings the check along with two cookies, fortune cookies.
I never read them. I refuse to even look at them. I don’t read the horoscope in the paper either. In fact, I don’t think any Christian should read the horoscope, it just “opens doors” that shouldn’t be opened. Some may say that it’s all just innocent fun; I believe that God calls it an abomination. Besides, why would I want the stars to predict my future? Those same stars are going to be cast from the heavens one day!
So, back to the fortune cookie. I break my cookie open, throw the paper down and gobble that baby up. I love that part of the fortune cookie. In fact, that is the best part of the whole Chinese restaurant experience. No, I take that back; I thoroughly enjoy the hostesses; they’re always smiling and making sure that I know that they are happy to see me! I love the way they pronounce Pepsi! It’s like they forget the second ‘p’.
So, while I’m munching on my cookie Robin reads the little paper and says, “Ah, boy, there’s some truth.” She convinced me to read it and my response was the same. This is what it says: “The fact that others are bad, does not imply that you are good.” Boom! Now, there is a little truth that we can all use, hey?
I am reminded of the parable Jesus told about the Pharisee who stood praying at the Temple. “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men –robbers, evildoers, adulterers –or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’ But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’ I tell you this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” Luke 18:11-14
And isn’t that what we do when we look at someone else and say, “I’m nothing like that.” We might admit we have a few minor faults, certainly excusable, but for these other fellows… Why do we do that? We try to point out other’s mistakes and sins so that we can look good in our own eyes. That is what Jesus called, exalting oneself.
You see, we don’t have to put others down in front of other people, we can do it in our own minds. And it’s just like the cookie said, Just because others are bad, that doesn’t imply that we are good. Jesus told us that there was only One that was good and in comparison, we are as filthy rags, all of us! So, here’s a news flash. If you’re feeling pretty down and out, try lifting someone up, helping someone out, lending a hand without desiring anything in return and the next thing you know, you’re out of the ‘molly-grubs’ and God is exalting you in your inner man.
There is no need to tear someone else down, just to feel good about yourself. As a matter of fact, you’ll feel worse. And a steady diet of the stuff only leads to a miserable lonely life. So, let’s not fall into the devils trap, let’s lift one another up in the love of our Lord Jesus Christ!
Think about it,
Pastor Jim
I enjoy watching Robin enjoy the food. I am usually up at the buffet longer than everyone else. It’s not because I am savoring the delectable treats, I’m picking the lesser of evils. The problem with Chinese food for me is two-fold; do you get my drift? I think its just wrong that I should eat something that makes me pay for it twice! There’s no justice. Then, to top it all off, at the end of the meal, the waitress brings the check along with two cookies, fortune cookies.
I never read them. I refuse to even look at them. I don’t read the horoscope in the paper either. In fact, I don’t think any Christian should read the horoscope, it just “opens doors” that shouldn’t be opened. Some may say that it’s all just innocent fun; I believe that God calls it an abomination. Besides, why would I want the stars to predict my future? Those same stars are going to be cast from the heavens one day!
So, back to the fortune cookie. I break my cookie open, throw the paper down and gobble that baby up. I love that part of the fortune cookie. In fact, that is the best part of the whole Chinese restaurant experience. No, I take that back; I thoroughly enjoy the hostesses; they’re always smiling and making sure that I know that they are happy to see me! I love the way they pronounce Pepsi! It’s like they forget the second ‘p’.
So, while I’m munching on my cookie Robin reads the little paper and says, “Ah, boy, there’s some truth.” She convinced me to read it and my response was the same. This is what it says: “The fact that others are bad, does not imply that you are good.” Boom! Now, there is a little truth that we can all use, hey?
I am reminded of the parable Jesus told about the Pharisee who stood praying at the Temple. “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men –robbers, evildoers, adulterers –or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’ But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’ I tell you this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” Luke 18:11-14
And isn’t that what we do when we look at someone else and say, “I’m nothing like that.” We might admit we have a few minor faults, certainly excusable, but for these other fellows… Why do we do that? We try to point out other’s mistakes and sins so that we can look good in our own eyes. That is what Jesus called, exalting oneself.
You see, we don’t have to put others down in front of other people, we can do it in our own minds. And it’s just like the cookie said, Just because others are bad, that doesn’t imply that we are good. Jesus told us that there was only One that was good and in comparison, we are as filthy rags, all of us! So, here’s a news flash. If you’re feeling pretty down and out, try lifting someone up, helping someone out, lending a hand without desiring anything in return and the next thing you know, you’re out of the ‘molly-grubs’ and God is exalting you in your inner man.
There is no need to tear someone else down, just to feel good about yourself. As a matter of fact, you’ll feel worse. And a steady diet of the stuff only leads to a miserable lonely life. So, let’s not fall into the devils trap, let’s lift one another up in the love of our Lord Jesus Christ!
Think about it,
Pastor Jim
|