Mold Me More Like You
By Karen Finn
Last
week, as I was preparing to grill burgers for dinner, I reached for the
package of buns which had been placed on top of the refrigerator.
Before I even untied the wire twist-tie, my eyes caught a glimpse of
something amiss. Ugh. Spots of a fuzzy, greenish-white mold were
peppered on the doughy surfaces of two of the six rolls!
What do
you think I did: 1.) discarded the two moldy buns and used the others
for our meal; or 2.) tossed the entire bag into the garbage? If you
chose the second option, you are correct! I was not taking a chance on
eating something that had been stored with damaged goods. Yuck!
God’s
prophet Haggai uses an illustration which displays how influential
these (clean vs. unclean) conditions can be. “If one bear holy flesh in
the skirt of his garment, and with his skirt do touch bread, or pottage,
or wine, or oil, or any meat, shall it be holy? And the priests
answered and said, No. Then said Haggai ,’If one that is unclean by a
dead body touch any of these, shall it be unclean?’ And the priests
answered and said, ‘It shall be unclean.’ Then answered Haggai, and
said, ‘So is this people, and so is this nation before me, saith the
LORD; and so is every work of their hands; and that which they offer
there is unclean.’”- Haggai 2:12-14
Is it possible for something
clean (holy flesh), to rub off on what it comes into contact with
(skirt of his garment)? Or, is it more likely that the unclean item
–like my moldy bread—contaminates what was once spotless? In this Old
Testament reference, Haggai was addressing the Israelite nation
concerning the sincerity of their sacrificial offering/worship. Their
outward observances of sacred rites appeared holy and well-intended, yet
inwardly their hearts and lives were a contradiction. This type of
approach could fool others, but certainly not the Lord!
As I
meditated upon this passage, I began to see how this example has
application concerning various aspects of our lives, especially when it
comes to influences. Friendships have the potential to “rub off” on us,
as do the activities, instruction and opinions we adhere to. Do we allow
this pressure to alter our beliefs and actions? If so, we’ve become as
ineffective as a spoiled piece of food.
A commitment to Christ
requires sacrifice-we give up our own desires and choose to follow His
Will for us. Our heart’s desire is to be holy just like Him; in other
words, we want to remain clean and mold-free, useable for service—like a
hamburger bun! Every day is a means whereby we reflect on the outside,
what has taken place on the outside. If we can prioritize that as our
goal each day, we will be allowing the garment of holiness to massage
our spirits and affect others in the most beneficial way ever!
