A long time
ago, I remember hearing a sermon where the preacher was talking about how in
his family it was an absolute NO NO to put the knife that was being used for
the marmite into the butter dish. Why? Because a knife that is
being used for the marmite, will wreck the butter in the butter dish. And
wrecking the butter with marmite is not a good plan. What if you then go
to put marmalade on your toast and the butter is contaminated with
marmite! Or you use a knife that you’ve been chopping garlic
with to get some butter? Remnants of the
garlic could be left in the butter, which could then be put onto a scone!
The list of problems could go on! I did think he was a slightly bonkers
telling us this story, but after a bit more pondering, I think I agree with him
about doing whatever you can to keep the butter in the butter dish
unspoilt. Then the butter remains as just good old butter, not butter
plus something else, and the butter is then ready to do the multitude of things
that butter does best.
How does this story link with chapter 7 of Corinthians? I think sometimes we’ve lost the sense of the importance of purity in our lives. The end of chapter 6 tells us that we have become sons and daughters of the Lord Almighty, and therefore we need to be people who are just that! Not something else mixed in which compromises who we are. We have his spirit in us, and we should be true worshippers of our incredible God and Father, not people who worship other things/people etc. But so often we willingly mess up and contaminate what God has made us to be, we become worshippers of other things. Chapter 7 verse 1 “Since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.”
Why should we bother living pure lives? Because it flows from our identity in Christ, and because we love God and revere him – he is totally pure, and Let’s thank God for his grace and his mercy, which is always there for us when we turn back to him. Let’s ask God for his help to be pure. Let’s ask God to help us be the people he has called us to be.
(lay member of staff)