Confessions of a Bad Baker

I baked a cake once and it turned out horrible. It was my first attempt at a Black Forrest Cake and it was undercooked and sunken. I tried to remedy the problem by adding more cherries, shaved chocolate, and chattily cream but it was beyond repair.

Honestly, I did not know what I did wrong. I bought the best ingredients, followed the recipe precisely, and double checked the ovens to make sure they were calibrated. All the trouble shooting techniques that I learned in school and culinary apprenticeship could not give me an answer.

I made several attempts at baked goods later and they all turned out awful. All my cookies, breads, and pastries turned out so bad that to this day I am reluctant to bake. I have had several bad experiences in baking and have never mustered up enough enthusiasm to bake since.

Years later, a co-worker from a restaurant came over my house one day and decided to whip up something for dinner. He made an alarming discovery in my kitchen and asked,

Did you know your measuring cups are all off?

It turns out that the measuring cups and spoons which I had purchased at a dollar store were not accurate. 1 Cup was really 1 ¼ Cups, ½ Cup was really 3/5 Cup, and 1 Tablespoon was 4/5th of a Tablespoon. I was working with inaccurate tools which lead to inaccurate facts and therefore giving me debauched products.

To my understanding a measuring cup was a measuring cup regardless where I got it from. I had since learned not all manufacturers of measuring utensils are regulated and often sell tools which give inaccurate measures. Unfortunately this minor oversight in measuring utensils gave me an inaccurate sense of reality and thus resulting in worthless goods.

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This is a great analogy for the Bible and its truths. Inaccurate or warped views in theology can lead to distorted Christianity or worse, a false sense of salvation. The Bible is clear about preserving its truth and not altering or adding to what it says;

Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth. Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly. 2 Timothy 2:15-16
Much like the Black Forrest Cake we often compensate for errors by adding to the exterior instead of getting to the root of the problem. In order to remedy the problem we need to get to the heart of the problem and replace false doctrine with the truth. We consistently need to examine our actions and align it with what God intended so we carry out His will.

Even within the Christian label, there are various interpretations. Not all of which are accurate. So therefore it is our duties as Christian to handle the word with attention and be careful to preserve its truth.