Special Sauce

It was one of those on-the-street interviews. "Can you tell me the 10 commandments?" asked the interviewer. "Uh... don't kill, don't steal, don't covet your neighbor's wife... I can't remember any more." "OK, that's pretty good. Can you tell me the ingredients in a Big Mac?" "Oh yeah! Two all beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles and onions on a sesame seed bun!"

Seeing this on a morning news program, I couldn't help but stop and think about it. Why can people remember the ingredients of a hamburger more clearly than the 10 commandments? One is meaningless, and the other supremely important.

Certainly one lesson is that television is powerful. Sadly, even many Christians today believe anything they see on TV. I saw a commercial recently that in extolling the virtues of a certain product concluded with "and we couldn't say it on TV if it wasn't true." Good grief. Almost nothing we see on TV is true. Imagine how much better off this world would be if people sought the truth of the Bible, learning and living the truth in God's Word, rather than letting themselves be brainwashed by the "gospel" that the world preaches on TV.

Of course, another lesson is that music is powerful. People remember that little ditty because it was taught to them as a catchy song. There are some pretty profound implications in that fact when we apply it to our church music programs.

So how 'bout you? Can you name the 10 Commandments? Can you name the ingredients in a Big Mac? Does your answer give you reason to want to read your Bible more today?

I have considered my ways and have turned my steps to your statutes. (Psalm 119:59)