On Wednesday, I had one egg left and decided to cook it over easy for my breakfast. I put two big tablespoons of coconut oil in the non-stick pan to make sure nothing would stick. The egg was cooking nicely and was ready to flip. I have managed the old elbow motion to do it in the past, but just in case I missed, I took the pan over to the sink (along with my lack of confidence). With what I thought was a perfect motion to flip, the egg slid up in the air and landed back down on the same side. I tried again, and this time the egg flipped in the air, but only one half made it back into the pan. Argh! I was not going to waste half an egg, so I scooped it up from the sink and put it in the pan. Then, I went back to the stove and finished cooking my scrambled mess. Maybe the pan was a little too slippery, or perhaps I am just not a good flipper.
This would be true of my convictions. I am firm in my beliefs – even when I cannot explain them well to others. I am not known to “flip” when I listen to arguments or to other people’s opinions. I try to make decisions based on what I understand to be the will of God. It takes prayer and discernment.
This leads me to thinking about politics. Every so often, a representative flips parties. I can understand voting for something one believes in that may not be the party platform. However, I am surprised when someone completely changes parties, because that usually means they have changed their mind about all or most of the issues that they once supported.
There are issues that I believe are very complicated to legislate. Some are so personal, it seems that the government should not even be involved. Perhaps this is where people flip between choosing the moral over the pragmatic. I am delighted that immigrant children are being reunited with their parents, but then what do we do as a nation about the thousands of illegal immigrants seeking freedom in our country?
There are two sides, or more, to every issue. Another example: I believe everyone should be compensated equally for the same work. Some professions still pay women less than they pay men for the same jobs. In many cases, the answers seem obvious to me. I may sound like I am a liberal for some things I support. Then again, many people believe I am a conservative because I am a devout Christian. I do have some conservative ideas that I hold fast. I am not good at flipping.
I may not fit either political party perfectly, but I am not an ethical/moral relativist that believes we will never agree on all the issues and therefore should accept everyone’s belief because it is the human condition to disagree.
Saint Paul wrote to the Romans 12:2, “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”
If we seek to do the will of God, it will be transforming. Our faith will grow and there will be no need to flip our views or change to the side that best represents those opinions.
I may end up with egg on my face from time to time when I express a view. One thing that will not change is God’s love for me, and my desire to follow Jesus. Hubby will be back in charge of my egg over easy, or should I switch to sunny side up?
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