Cookies and Commandments
I love cookies. I love making them, I love eating them, and I love the debates that they can spark.
One of the most common debates is about whether or not it's okay to eat raw cookie dough. Some people say it's dangerous because it contains uncooked eggs that can carry salmonella. Others say it's perfectly safe if the eggs are fresh.
I'm not here to settle that debate. But I want to talk about another kind of debate not often associated with cookies: the debate about the Ten Commandments.
The Ten Commandments are a set of religious and moral principles central to Judaism and Christianity. They're often seen as a list of dos and don'ts, but they can also be interpreted as a guide to living a life of love and compassion.
One of the Ten Commandments is the Second Commandment, which prohibits creating graven images of God. This commandment has been interpreted in a variety of ways over the centuries. Some people believe that it means that we should never make any images of God, while others believe that it means that we should not worship images of God.
I believe that the Second Commandment is ultimately about love. It's about recognizing that God is beyond our comprehension and that we should not try to limit or contain God in any way. It's also about respecting the uniqueness of each individual, who is created in the image of God.
The Ten Commandments are foundational building blocks for the early Church. They provide a framework for living a life of love and compassion and remind us that God is the ultimate authority in our lives.
But the Ten Commandments are not our only guide for living a life of faith. We also have the teachings of Jesus, who showed us what it means to love God and love our neighbors as ourselves.
When we look at the Ten Commandments through the lens of love, we see that they are all about loving God and loving others. For example, the commandment against murder is ultimately about loving our neighbors. We don't want to hurt others because we love and want them to be safe.
The same is true for the other commandments. When we obey the Ten Commandments, we are not just following a set of rules. We are expressing our love for God and for others.
So, what does all of this have to do with cookies? I think it's a reminder that even the simplest things can be a source of debate. But if we approach those debates with love and compassion, we can learn from each other and grow in our faith.
So, next time you're debating whether or not it's okay to eat raw cookie dough, remember that the most important thing is to love one another. And if you do decide to eat the raw cookie dough, just make sure the eggs are fresh!
So, how can we grow in our love for God and others? Here are a few tips:
Spend time in prayer and worship. This will help you to grow closer to God and to experience God's love for you. If we can be praying for you, let us know here.
Serve others. When you serve others, you are showing them love. This can be anything from volunteering at a local food bank to serving your neighbors. We have opportunities to serve at Coffee Creek - click here!
Forgive others. Holding on to anger and resentment will only hurt you in the long run. When you forgive others, you show them love and set yourself free.
Love is the fulfillment of the law. When we love God and love others, we are obeying God's commands. So, let's choose to love God and love others today, and every day.
