Brownies

I once had someone offer me some brownies....

They looked really tasty - they smelled delicious -they were still warm from the oven, but before I could have one they said "Let me share the recipe with you." So I patiently waited - longingly staring at what my taste buds desired...mmmm

They began to describe their brownie making process, and I was only half listening.
First I combine all the dry ingredients, and I use all organic fair trade ingredients, flour, sugar, cocoa, salt, baking powder and I sift them together very carefully.  Then in a separate bowl I combine all the wet ingredients, vanilla, eggs, melted butter and then my secret ingedient, two teaspoons of fresh dog poop.... 

WHAT??!! Surely you don't really include dog poop in your brownies!!

Yes I most certainly do, and everyone just raves about how good they are.  Don't tell me you are one of those judgey "I only talk about what I am against" preachy Christian types! Certainly you won't let a little dog poop offend you!! I mean, can't you just eat the parts you like and leave the rest...

It's all mixed up together, how would I leave the poop out?

You are so easily offended.  All of your friends ate my brownies, the farmers market sells my brownies, and no one ever complains because of how good they taste.  Frankly, I am surprised at your close mindedness, dog poop is just a part of the world these days.

I really don't think eating dog poop is a good idea, I think I will pass.

They are really only like 1% dog poop! You sound like your trying to keep some law about not eating dog poop, there is no such law and besides, dog poop is everywhere these days! Your loss! Me and my kids are going to eat these brownies right up!

Is that really safe?

How dare you tell me how to make good brownies.  How is it your business what I put in my brownies in the first place, or what I feed my kids!

So in all honesty, no one has ever offered me a poop brownie in the literal sense.

But recently I have been offered several figurative "brownies" and when I pointed out that these things might not be a good idea to partake of, the responses were much the same.


1 - It's mostly good, just accept the good and leave the bad

This is flawed thinking.  The fact is that if the good and bad are mixed together it is nearly impossible to separate them.

1 Corinthians 5: 6-8
6 Your boasting about this is terrible. Don’t you realize that this sin is like a little yeast that spreads through the whole batch of dough? 7 Get rid of the old “yeast” by removing this wicked person from among you. Then you will be like a fresh batch of dough made without yeast, which is what you really are. Christ, our Passover Lamb, has been sacrificed for us. 8 So let us celebrate the festival, not with the old bread of wickedness and evil, but with the new bread of sincerity and truth.

How do I separate out foul lyrics and sexual topics from secular music for my sons? How do I separate the embrace and celebration of sin throughout a movie? It is not possible to separate these things. 

In another letter Paul also addresses this issue.

Colossians 3
5 So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual immorality, impurity, lust, and evil desires. Don’t be greedy, for a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world. 6 Because of these sins, the anger of God is coming. 7 You used to do these things when your life was still part of this world. 8 But now is the time to get rid of anger, rage, malicious behavior, slander, and dirty language. 9 Don’t lie to each other, for you have stripped off your old sinful nature and all its wicked deeds. 10 Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him.

Here he is even more clear - "Have nothing to do with..." Paul recognizes that it is not possible to embrace and also reject sin.

2 - I don't think there is anything wrong with it and "a lot of people agree with me"

Imagine those brownies were real, and in fact everyone was eating them and talking about how tasty they were.  What would be the result of eating poop?  You could contact parasites or hepatitis, or maybe you would be fine.  Would you really risk it?  Would you offer it to your child? If ingested by accident would you consult a physician afterwards?

1 Corinthians 6:12

12 You say, “I am allowed to do anything”—but not everything is good for you. And even though “I am allowed to do anything,” I must not become a slave to anything.

If you find yourself consuming something that contains things of the old nature mentioned in Paul's letters.  I would strongly suggest you not offer it to your children and you instead consult the physician at once, the Great Physician.  But also consider that maybe there is a reason that "a lot of people agree" with what you are doing...

2 Timothy 3:1-9
You should know this, Timothy, that in the last days there will be very difficult times. 2 For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. 3 They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good. 4 They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God. 5 They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that!
6 They are the kind who work their way into people’s homes and win the confidence of vulnerable women who are burdened with the guilt of sin and controlled by various desires. 7 (Such women are forever following new teachings, but they are never able to understand the truth.) 8 These teachers oppose the truth just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses. They have depraved minds and a counterfeit faith. 9 But they won’t get away with this for long. Someday everyone will recognize what fools they are, just as with Jannes and Jambres.

3 - If you don't accept this as we do you are judgmental, close minded, legalistic, preachy...

I think I would call it faithful to the calling and Spirit that I have been given. 

2 Timothy 3:14 But you must remain faithful to the things you have been taught. You know they are true, for you know you can trust those who taught you.15 You have been taught the holy Scriptures from childhood, and they have given you the wisdom to receive the salvation that comes by trusting in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.17 God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.

Paul encourages believers to "put on your new nature"  and to be renewed as they learn how to become more like Christ.

Colossians 3:12 Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. 13 Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. 14 Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. 15 And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful.

Being equipped for every good work, having peace in life and in the family, being bound together in love with fellow believers... these things far outshine any temporary happiness achieved from mixing it up with some dog poop brownies.

The truth of the matter is - I lose nothing by skipping the dog poop brownies of this world.

Why waste perfectly wonderful, organic, fair trade ingredients by mixing them with dog poop?  How much more valuable are the ingredients of our new nature, the precious promises we have received, the new spirit that lives within us, than these cooking ingredients.   

This isn't legalism, it's common sense, 

Blessings, 

Amanda