Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Choosing

Give me the choice and I will usually choose:

The largest cookie in the batch.

Two slices of bread from the middle of the loaf rather than the first and slightly stale ones.

To give advice rather than to receive it.

A glass of Coke from the new bottle rather than pour one from the one sitting open all evening.

The slice of pizza with the most pepperoni on it.

To spend more on better stuff I buy for myself than what I buy for others. 

The larger slice of cheesecake.  If there are only two left, I will slice a bit off the other and take it.

To be thanked for giving rather than to be given to.

To think and talk about the "big picture" of anything rather than pay attention to the details of my life.

The white meat.

An evening with someone I enjoy being with rather than with someone who needs an evening to enjoy with someone else.

The second slice of baloney rather than the slimy one on top.

To be recognized and praised rather than have my good deeds go unnoticed.

The apple and banana without the bruises.

A new jar of peanut butter rather than finishing the nearly empty one.

Given my track record for choices and what they say about me, I think if I am honest with myself, given the choice, I would have chosen the 30 pieces of silver and shouted for Barabbas.  Which has all to do with why I need a Savior.

Given Jesus' track record, He would have chosen Judas or Barabbas too... or me.

Which has everything to do with why He is the Savior.

14 comments:

The Bosom Serpent said...

I hate that slimy first slice. Lots of food imagery in there, it must be close to Pascha.

But seriously, profound words Brother.

margaret said...

You're streets ahead of me... I never take a cookie at all because I want people to think I don't eat them.

Anonymous said...

I've always preferred the dark meat myself but I'm exceptionally fond of cheesecake.

I'd never considered who Jesus would have chosen if he'd been asked. I once raised a similar question in a lecture. Did any of the Fathers ever consider what would have happened if Mary had said 'no'. The lecturer answered that the Fathers did not generally consider counterfactuals. Interesting to think about though.

amy said...

chuckling @ Margaret ...

I usually take my pick from the cookies just out of the oven.. even before my kids know they're ready.

excellent post; enjoyed every crumb...

Ian Climacus said...

Thank you. Cut to the quick, as you always do, but necessary. Thank you.

And a blessed Holy Week to you.

ryan said...

Man, nearly all of your choices involved food; the fast is not indefinite. Hang in there, man!

Anonymous said...

"Give me the choice and I will usually choose ... An evening with someone I enjoy being with rather than with someone who needs an evening to enjoy with someone else."

Ouch.

Steve Robinson said...

Yep. Food is the microcosm of our spiritual state and demonstrates the depth of my self centeredness and what lengths I'll go to fulfill my wants at the expense of others. If I can't fast from the simple stuff, how do I think I'm going to fast from lust, power, vainglory etc.? It takes prayer and fasting to cast out the hard demons. I doubt that I could cast out Casper the Friendly Ghost.

Claire said...

...Good stuff...but...looking at one of your examples from the other side, I wouldn't want to have someone spend an evening with me if they were doing to just because they thought *I* needed it, but didn't really want to...I'd rather be lonely than have someone do me a favor in that sense--yet I see your point, as well--what do you think?

Alexander said...

>The apple and banana without the bruises.

Actually, I find that the bruised banana is more tasty... ;-)

>Yep. Food is the microcosm of our
>spiritual state...

I know what you mean brother: http://tinyurl.com/spiritually-fat

Steve Robinson said...

Anon-g-b, For me the heart of the matter is that I am not like Christ who loves the outcast, the marginalized, the lonely and least of these. No one likes to be the object of condescending charity or "programmed love", but true charity is another thing altogether. If I'm going to spend time with an "outcast" for a spiritual notch in my "look how loving I am belt" I'm just using that person, not loving them.

Alexander, actually the totally brown bananas make great banana bread... which I can take the big slice out of.

gallery 802 said...

Actually you know the perfect cook, I like the most which you are cooking.

Anonymous said...

Darn, Steve, will you get that mirror out of my face!

"Which has everything to do with why He is the Savior." How sweetly true. Now if I could just be more like Him...

Anonymous said...

Ouch, S-P! Will you quit writing about me!?!?!?