Recipe Ingredients!

Sometimes recipes are similar, but altering or adding just a few specific ingredients can bring about completely different results. For example note the following two recipes:
Ingredients of recipe #1: flour and water.
Ingredients of recipe #2: flour, baking powder, salt, butter, eggs, vanilla, and milk.

The first recipe will make paste while the second is a basic cake recipe. Perhaps one might wonder where the paste goes when the other ingredients are added. Someone has simply stated the comparison in the following way: “Put flour and water together and you get paste, but add butter and eggs and you get a cake.” Agreeably the first becomes very sticky though useful for holding things together while the other becomes something enjoyably edible. It takes the other ingredients added to what could make paste to bring about the delightful body of a cake.

As we consider the ingredients of our Christian walk, we know from James the importance and necessity of FAITH AND WORKS going together. James even summed up his point by noting that just like the body without the spirit is dead, so is FAITH without the WORKS. ( James 2:26) As an example James noted the life of Abraham.

We read…
“(21) Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? (22) You see that FAITH was ACTIVE along WITH HIS WORKS, and FAITH WAS COMPLETED BY HIS WORKS; (23) and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, ‘Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness’ -- and HE WAS CALLED A FRIEND OF GOD.” ( James 2:21-23 ESV)

To consider the “flour” of FAITH and the “water” of WORKS, perhaps the result is sometimes the stickiness of pride in what self can accomplish. Though WORKS are necessary and should even be viewed as a natural outgrowth of our FAITH, there is the need to maintain a proper perspective. To add the “eggs” of the essence of humility, the “salt” of selfless service, and the “vanilla” of virtue along with other ingredients supplemental to our faith (note 2 Peter 1:5-7) -- all stirred in with the “ladle” of love -- we come up with a life that is sweet and tasteful in the eyes of God and beneficial to those around us.

Unless we follow the recipe of God for our life we will come out a sticky mess. Let us continue to blend together the godly ingredients God has outlined for the Christian life. Living properly before God will provide His joy and peace as the “icing on the cake” for both now and eternity.

Have a great day FOLLOWING THE FATHER’S FORMULA!
Carl

See other teEn-MAIL on Character