CUTTING COOKIES

Thus begins the CHRISTmas baking season.  This first round of homemade cookies is for tomorrows' Christmas celebration with our beautiful friends at Casa Sanctuary.

Baking Christmas cookies takes time and patience.

Today I was noticing all the shapes I have to choose from in my cookie cutter bag; I went with the trees and snowflakes because of time (icing and decorating).  It got me thinking as I cut, baked, cooled and iced tree after tree, after tree, after tree.  They all looked the same...

How boring would it be if the church of Christ was the same?  If we all looked and tasted alike?

Sometimes the church can make the mistake of "cookie cutting" people; expecting them to act and look a certain way.

I grew up in a very "religious" environment; once people got "saved" they put these very expectations on them.  If you didn't act and look a certain way, you were at risk of being judged as possibly being not saved...I never dressed the way they wanted me to; I grew up in North Hollywood and shopped a lot in thrift stores on Melrose with my friends.  These expectations kept me far away from the church as a teen.

Now, I dont say we should step all over grace and keep our old sinful ways, nope; but God is working in each of us in different ways and we can trust the Master Baker to work a great product as His Holy Spirit resides and works in others.  He has also created each of us with certain looks and tastes/styles.  However, we should be free with giving grace and love thru the power of Christ (not ourselves); remembering that while we were yet sinners HE died for us (Romans 5:8).

We also should never put our own personal convictions on others, that are not Biblical - that would be "legalism".  I am so thankful for the ladies I know who have the most amazing quiet and gentle spirits, I glean from the gentle and spirit filled words that pour from their lips; I long to "get there".  Yet, I am also thankful for the gals that are openly passionate and vocal about Jesus (and love a good pair of shoes), like Beth Moore - can I get an "amen?"   "anybody?".  I love that we all come from different countries, backgrounds, triumphs and trials; so that we can be there to lift others who may be walking familiar roads to us.  (2 Corinthians 1:4).

Thank goodness in my bag of cookie cutters, I found the stocking, candy cane, snowman, angel and star.  This way I can make beautifully arranged gift plates for my neighbors; they will be colorful with sprinkles (or not) and candy balls (or not), and two colored (or not).  It's much more exciting than a plate full of trees (note: there are snowflakes for tomorrow too ;o)).  Do we really want everything "vanilla"?  Isn't it great to spice things up from time to time, and have a little rocky road or rainbow sherbet?

I think the church should be very much the same; all of our colors and decorations coming together beautifully.  And a HUGE sprinkling of the love and grace of Jesus.

"There is only one God, and he makes people right with himself only by faith, whether they are Jews or Gentiles." Romans 3:30

"There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus." Galatians 3:28

"In this new life, it doesn’t matter if you are a Jew or a Gentile, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbaric, uncivilized, slave, or free. Christ is all that matters, and He lives in all of us." Colossians 3:11