Saturday, November 8, 2014

Cookie Cutter Values



11/8/14
Cookie cutters are a marvelous invention. Stamp the dough, bake and out comes a cute little replica of the chosen shape. But, if the cookie doesn’t come out exactly like the shape of the cutter, would you throw it away?  Would you only eat the cookies that were perfect at the edges, or is the substance of the cookie more valuable than the shape?
A few weeks ago, I wondered about this question and thought back to how many times I’ve dismissed things because they didn’t fit the mold. It’s been more times than I want to admit.  New friendships, someone’s idea, a way of doing something; substance lost. Traded for a false value found in the edges of the mold my mind created.
Jesus was also the victim of false molds. Many had created an image of what the King of Kings and the Messiah would look like, how He would appear and how He would execute saving us all from sin. When He didn’t fit their mold, the substance of His life was lost to them.  They threw away what appeared to be a misshapen cookie. 
Yes, molds are good for a great many things and some items produced from molds need to be exact such as medical tools, dental implants, tires, and keys.  It’s the measurements we make using the molds created in our minds overlaid on people, ideas, and life’s journey that become errors in judgment.  Judgments we are not authorized to make. God is the only judge and He is looking for us to be found in Christ alone. Christ is the substance of our hearts and the life of the Holy Spirit found in all things.  God wants substance, not form. We should desire the same from others or ourselves.  Let us be on the lookout for the tastiest of misshapen cookies.
**Lord, forgive me for the times I judged and evaluated based only on the perfection of the edges. As I move forward, bring to mind the cookie cutter and help me see beyond the edges of the molds I have in my mind, and those built by mere traditions, to focus instead on the substance you have created and are creating. Let me also be found in Christ as I learn to use Him as my mold.**
 “Trust in the Lord with all of your heart and lean not on your own understanding (molds), but in all your ways (measurements) acknowledge Him (Christ), and He will direct your paths (show you the substance).” Proverbs 3:5,6. 
    
See link for a non-cookie cutter cookie recipe: Best Cookie Ever


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