Cookies

But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to

everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with

gentleness and respect

1 Peter 3:15 New International Version

Making cookies was so much a part of my wife’s grandmother’s life that she was

affectionately known as Cookie Grandma by our children. Whenever we would visit,

there would be homemade cookies: chocolate chip, peanut butter, sugar cookies. And

at Christmas she would make all the holiday favorite: frosted cut outs, thumb prints,

rosettes, sandbakkels and gingerbread.

She has been gone for many years now but recently my wife wanted to relive those

days and make grandma’s precious sandbakkel recipe. We searched the house until

we finally found the sandbakkel tins in a canister on the cupboards above the stove.

We also discovered grandma’s recipe. To our disappointment the recipe was only a list

of ingredients, no instructions. I suppose grandma thought “Why would anyone need

instructions? Who doesn’t know how to make sandbakkels?” The short answer is “Her

grandchildren!” For all the cookies grandma made, she never let her grandchildren help

nor taught them how to do it.

I wonder how much we are like that with our faith. We assume everyone knows about

Jesus. Why would I need to share my faith with others? Why would I have to write

anything down? Isn’t this just common knowledge? But it’s not. Many a grandparent

has never taken the time to share their faith with the grandchildren or teach them how to

follow Jesus. Many of our family, friends and neighbors might wonder after we are

gone, “What was that faith thing that was so important to them?”

Let me encourage you not to wait. Don’t assume they know Jesus. Show them and tell

them about your faith. They may thank you for it later.

Now if I can just figure out how to make sandbakkels…

Mark Miller