Some of the best cheeses in the world are made using mold. Roquefort and blue cheese are two of these. Without the mold, the cheese is no longer the specialty we crave and enjoy eating with our meals.
However, the mold used to create these cheeses is very specific, one derived from the same Penicillium mold spores used to make penicillin. If we find wild mold growing on the cheese, it must be cut away. Only if we have the correct mold do we force it throughout the wheel of cheese.
Then we needle it.
By this we mean to pierce the cheese many times in order to ensure the mold has access to life-giving air, even deep within the wheel. In Mark 9:42-50, Jesus describes this same process with our Christian walk. He gives us three steps we must follow.
Seed the Cheese.
We must stir the correct mold throughout the cheese curds so they can spread to the entire wheel. What seed is our Lord talking about? He refers to the Word of God and the teachings of the gospel as the salt of the earth. Only by becoming immersed in the Bible can we truly spread God’s plan throughout every area of our lives.
Needle the Cheese.
The mold spores deep within the wheel of cheese will die without air. If we tell others of the Christ and fail to follow up with our righteous example and Christian fellowship, they will wither and die spiritually. In the same manner, daily immersion in prayer and the Word of God keeps the Breath of Life flowing through us.
Cut the Cheese.
Jesus tells us that if we find any wild mold growing in our lives, we are to cut it out. Do our actions oppose those who follow Christ? It is better for us to cut off our hand or our foot than to lose our hope of salvation. Do the things of this world tempt us beyond measure? It is better to pluck out an eye than to suffer the fires of eternal torment.
What do we have in our lives that needs to be cut away? It may look like Penicillium to the carnal eye, but if it is wild mold, it will spread through us and make us unfit for consumption. We must watch and pray, cutting away that which is destructive to our relationship with God.
The presence of Christ makes our actions flavorful to those around us, and they will want to dine on him.
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