When I was a child, nothing tasted
better than a soft sugar cookie, warm from the oven. My mother’s cookies melted
in my mouth and satisfied my need for something sweet after a day of school. Passing
on our faith is like baking cookies. And just as gratifying to the soul. Here’s
why I say that:
Baking cookies takes time. Ingredients must be mixed, dropped onto
a cookie sheet and baked before the finished product is ready to eat. Passing
on our faith also takes time. We serve as daily role models to family members
so others see what the “finished product” looks like. We talk about faith and
life in daily conversation with children and grandchildren: “Look at that
beautiful flower.” “Feel that breeze.” “What a view!” We return excess change
because honesty is not just the best policy, it’s what God expects. When we go
through fiery trials and disappointments, such as our confinement during this
coronavirus, we trust God to see us through and even bless us in the process.
All the while, others watch and listen, learning from our example how to handle
the vagaries of life with faith intact.
Baking cookies requires a variety of ingredients. Flour provides texture;
sugar, sweetness; peanut butter, a distinctive taste. Salt enhances the flavor,
and egg binds ingredients together. We, of course, must develop our own faith
before we can pass it on, and faith development in our own lives also requires
a variety of ingredients--that is, experiences. The daily discipline of
Christian living include scripture reading to provide the texture of our faith;
prayer, the sweetness. Our experiences create a unique, distinctive story to
share, and worship enhances our lives. Like an egg, showing love demonstrates
and binds all other aspects of our lives together
Baking cookies means following a recipe—and recipes differ. One
calls for shortening; another, for butter. One suggests topping the cookie with
chocolate candy; another, rolling the unbaked cookie in sugar. Likewise, the
“recipe” of passing on a legacy of faith may differ according to individuals.
We encourage someone who enjoys art to draw a picture of what they pray for. We
take a prayer walk with a youth who has trouble sitting. For those in tune with
music, we suggest they draw close to God as they listen, sing, or even play songs
of worship on an instrument. God did not make us using one cookie-cutter. We
all have personalities and preferences that affect how we learn, and we can best
pass on our faith if we respect those aspects of human development.
Baking cookies leaves a mess. No matter how careful we are, we spill
sugar and flour on the counter or even drop an egg on the floor. And even
though we follow the recipe, our cookies never look like the picture in the
cookbook. So with sharing our faith. Sometimes we stumble over words. We sometimes
say the “wrong” thing. And the person with whom we share, may not react as we
expect. What we can count on is that
God will use even our awkward attempts to work in people’s hearts.
Like nibbling on a cookie dipped
in milk, the end result of sharing our faith is amazingly satisfying. Hearing a
child pray warms my heart more than a warm cookie tickles my taste buds. Seeing
a child stop to pick up someone who tripped, delights my spirit just as a
perfectly baked cookie delights my eyes. I get excited when I hear that my grandchildren
attend youth groups and go on mission trips. Proverbs 22:6 challenges parents
to “Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old
they will not turn from it.” We shape a life as we share our faith.
Are you feeding the faith of your
family or just satisfying their appetites? Have a cup of coffee and a cookie as
you pray about who might benefit from hearing your story of faith and seeing
your faith in action.
#FriendsOfTheHeart #PassingFaithtoFamily
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