First of all, I don't believe in the idea of a small, rather bland cookie with a slip of paper in it being able to predict my future. Let me make that perfectly clear at the outset.
But I do like fortune cookies. And it ain't because they're so delicious and satisfying. Because they aren't. They just seem lazy to me, as desserts go.
Did all the owners of the Chinese restaurants just get together one day and say:
"These Americans really seem to like their dessert, but I just don't feel like making any. What do you guys think we could do?"
"What if we just fried up a little cookie for them and wrapped it in plastic?"
"A cookie? You mean like, chocolate chip?"
"Not really. That's too much work. Maybe just some generic batter. And we could fry it up so hard that it could potentially crack their teeth."
[the restaurant owners nod, approvingly]
"I like it. Especially the cracked teeth part. How big would it be?"
"Maybe the size of a big moth?"
[grumbling is heard in the room, especially from the big-boned man in the corner, who is munching on a pecan pie]
"Hmmmm. I don't think they'll go for that. They like big cookies in this country."
"Ok...I got it...how about we put a slip of paper inside each one of them that predicts their future."
[optimism resurfaces]
"I think you might be onto something. But what if they figure out that we don't know what we're talking about?"
"We'll be vague. And we'll put numbers on the other side of the paper. And we'll give them as many as they want."
[thunderous applause ensues]
"Meeting adjourned. Now fire up the grease, get out your typewriters, and let's whip up some dessert!"
Why do I like fortune cookies, if it isn't for the taste? Because they make for good conversation.
Brooke and I almost always read our fortunes and discuss them with each other, if only to make fun of them. They can be the catalyst for hours of interesting dialogue...
"What does your fortune say, Brooke?"
"It says, 'Your winning personality will take you far in the near future.' What do you think that means?"
"I guess it means that you should hitchhike home and we'll find out if this is legit. If you smile real big and get a ride, then we need to buy a case of these things and start paying attention."
"Seriously? You'd let me do that?"
"Oh, don't be silly. Of course not. Only for a couple of miles. I'll wait for you at the Best Buy."
"But I'm pregnant!"
"That's right. I forgot. I'll make an 'I'm Pregnant' sign for you to tape to your belly and that way none of those 'crazies' will pick you up. And you should walk really slow down the highway...you know, because of the baby."
[Obviously, this is a joke conversation. I would never let my wife do this without having her phone with her]
Think of this, though: what if fortune cookies WERE for real? What if the information on that slip of paper actually had the power to predict what was going to happen in our life?
Would we pay more attention to them? Would we discard them so quickly? Wouldn't we spend hours, maybe even days, trying to decipher how they applied to our lives?
One of the most under-utilized parts of my faith is probably meditation. There are sections of Scripture that could fit into a fortune cookie - they literally only take seconds to read - but they require hours of meditation to truly comprehend and apply. They are powerful pieces of truth, packed with implications for my life - if only I will allow them the time to soak in.
How much more deeply would the Bible penetrate into our minds and lives if we simply thought about it more? There is a place for reading/studying large portions of God's Word in one sitting, but I believe there is also a place for taking one verse (or one PART of a verse) and simply thinking/meditating about it all day.
Praying about it and asking God to help you understand it.
Having conversations about it with your friends and family.
Asking questions about it to people you respect and trust.
Looking at it from different angles.
Applying it to your life...today...right now.
The Bible is a big book and it can be intimidating, but if we will break it into manageable sections and give it time to affect us, we will see its true power.
"For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart." - Hebrews 4:12
Think about that for a while:)
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