Have you ever looked at the ingredient list for hot dogs? One web site I looked at called hot dogs one of America’s most popular foods. But what’s in it?
One of the ingredients is called “maltodextrin.” That’s “a carbohydrate used to create even and consistent flavor.” Society is maltodextrin, trying to make everyone think and act in an “even and consistent” way.
Why do I bring that up? Christianity is supposed to make people look and act in a way that’s different from society in general. We’re supposed to make people question why we do “this thing” or act “that way.” After all, if we’re not different, what’s the point of Christ?
The whole purpose of His death on the cross was to give us the gift of grace, and that should change us in discernible ways. We’re supposed to have a peace and joy that transcends our circumstances, and if we react the same way as everyone else then the death of Jesus has no effect. Here’s a tip: it’s supposed to.
We should be shaped by God, and the sacrifice of Jesus -- not by our culture. We are supposed to be the salt of the world, adding flavor to the maltodextrin of society. What happens if we lose our saltiness? We’re good for nothing but trampling under foot -- tossed onto the path to be walked on like everyone else in the world.
But we shouldn’t be totally separated, either. The monastic life, while serving a purpose, is not everyone’s path. We’re meant to be part of society, but to be a flavoring instead of succumbing to the maltodextrin.
I like hot dogs. However, a steady diet of them isn’t a good thing. Same with the culture we live in. There’s some good in it, but to live that way 24/7 would be as bad as eating hot dogs for every meal every day.
The same could be said for our church culture. We don’t offer sacrifices and prayers because everyone else there is doing it. God wants our devotion, not empty and meaningless sacrifices. Like hot dogs, there’s meat IN that, but that’s not the purpose. God wants our devotion, not our sacrifices.
Don’t contribute to the maltodextrin of society. The Bible teaches us to be salt.
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