The other day a question was posed to a couple of political candidates: What is your motto or what are some rules you live by? I began to think about how I would answer this question and I decided I had a few principles I live by and it was amazing how many involved food but I have some others as well:
I never met a doughnut I didn’t like.
Never pass on tater tots.
Don’t eat the last biscuit.
A chocolate milkshake is not meant to be slurped slowly.
Grade B hot dawg stands have better tasting food.
Grade B hot dawg stands will kill you.
Always start a meal with prayer and end it with, “You gon’ eat dat?”….as you gaze at your eating companion’s plate.
Think the best of others until proven wrong.
Treat others as you want to be treated.
Don’t take yourself too seriously.
Life can be a challenge. But it’s certainly not a chore!
Kiss and hug your kids while you can.
And the list could go on and on ……
We all have rules we live by. I would love to hear some of yours. These rules are a part of who we are as unique individuals and they can make us beloved, despised, respected, reviled, and maybe even revered in a legendary sort of way. The example of Christ and the Bible are our sources of rules for those of us who call ourselves believers and these guiding principles determine our behavior and our attitudes. There are no references to doughnuts in the bible. But we do have some pressing and essential rules for living that come to us as we read the scripture or as we are given an insight during a time of quiet meditation and prayer.
As a worried and anxious young adult quite a few years ago in Philippians 3:12-14 (you need to read it because I will be sharing the AOV….the Andy Oliver Version) I discovered a couple of life changing principles.
I am not perfect.
I am in God’s family.
I will make mistakes.
But I am optimistic about my future.
Because I am forgiven.
And I will keep working on my life until I reach perfection when I meet Jesus in heaven.
This was the Apostle Paul’s mindset and an appropriate way to look at all of our Christian journeys. Have a great day!
Andy O.