I consider myself to be a connoisseur of carrot cake. I’m not sure when this started, but certainly it was under the influence of my wife Carla, as she makes an amazing carrot cake! The rich cream cheese frosting, the sweet heartiness of the cake itself, and the knowledge that I am eating something healthy; its CARROT cake after all! What, you don’t think it’s actually a health food? Well, you’re probably right, but it certainly is a comfort food. Eating carrot cake along with a cup of coffee in the morning is a great way to start my day!
As you’ve already surmised, although I love carrot cake, I have learned that it’s definitely not healthy if eaten regularly or in large quantities. It might give me comfort in the moment, but this comfort comes with a serious enduring cost. There’s much in our world today that can be comparable to carrot cake. Modern society is full of opportunities and activities and conveniences that in and of themselves are not bad, but if acted on too often or in too large of quantities can cost us dearly in the quality and effectiveness of our lives.
Shaul (Paul) understood the spiritual danger that comes if we focus too much attention on our personal comfort. You might say that his life choices were a bit radical and out of the norm because of his ministry calling, which I agree with, but the principles that Shaul taught are universally valuable for all of us to consider and apply into our lives. We live in a world full of good and evil, and being very careful regarding what we choose to fill our lives with ultimately makes an eternity of difference! In 1 Corinthians 9:23-27 (TLV) he wrote:
I
do it all for the sake of the Good News, so that I might be a fellow partaker
of it. Don’t you know that in a stadium the runners all
run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win! Every
competitor exercises self-control in all respects. They do it to receive a
perishable crown, but we do it to receive an imperishable one. So I run in
this way—not aimlessly. So I box in this way—not beating the air. Rather,
I punish my body and bring it into submission, so that after I have preached to
others, I myself will not be disqualified.
I have known several believers through the years who have allowed their love of this world’s comforts to destroy their spiritual and personal lives. Their allowance for sin, begun at first in small quantities, grew and overwhelmed them, leading them to do horrible things that destroyed their personal testimony and brought great pain into the lives of the people around them. Sin is like the chamets (leaven) of Passover; unless we purge it from our lives it will grow and take over (see 1 Corinthians 5). Take some time to consider your pursuit of comfort compared to the cost of your Messiah’s sacrifice as you prepare for Passover and Resurrection Day this month.
Forward for Messiah!
Kirk Gliebe
Rabbi &
Director
