Galatians 5:9
You were doing so well until someone made you turn from the truth. And that person was certainly not sent by the one who chose you. A little yeast can change a whole batch of dough, but you belong to the Lord. That makes me certain that you will do what I say, instead of what someone else tells you to do. Whoever is causing trouble for you will be punished.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
As someone who has made her fair share of bread, I can tell you that it’s all about the yeast. Without it, the bread won’t rise. And even if you do remember to put in the yeast, you have to “jump-start” it with water that is heated to the correct temperature. Water that is too cool will keep the yeast from activating. Water that is too hot will “kill” it and have the same result.
There is another factor to yeast… it has to be fresh, because it is a living organism that ferments when mixed with water… and this produces carbon dioxide and the bubbles that give bread its texture. In the world of bread making, it matters when you add the yeast to the bread mixture. If you don’t ferment it with water first, the salt in the dough will kill it and your bread will be dense and flat. So you can see that yeast plays an important role.
In this passage, I believe Paul is telling the Galatians that “yeast” is the devil or his agents. He is saying that when we allow negative influences into our lives, the results can affect not only us… but also those around us. In other words, when we listen to Satan or his agents, the “whole batch” of dough can be affected.
I also believe we can look at this in a positive light. Yeast is a catalyst. It makes things happen. If we take care of the “yeast” – if we nurture it, mix it with water that is the right temperature, and use it while it’s fresh, we can have a really wonderful loaf of bread. So it would follow that if we look at our relationship with God in this manner – if we treat our Christian faith as “good yeast” and give it the right attention and care in the form of listening to God and following His will for our lives… serving Him well – we can have great results. By keeping our relationship with God fresh… continually nurturing our faith through prayer and Bible study, fellowship with other believers, service and surrender of self, we can affect not only our own life, but the lives of those around us, too… the “whole batch!”
I have been taken to task before by some who are adamant that Biblical references to yeast always represent the devil. But I believe that this is a prime example of God’s word being relevant for our lives in one way at one time… and in another on a different day. I haven’t changed God’s word… or His intention… by saying this. I have indicated that God’s word is right for us all the time… in all circumstances. The bottom line is that outside influences (yeast) can affect the whole batch of bread (our lives and the lives of those around us). The challenge for us is to be discerning… to recognize “good yeast” and “bad yeast”… and to act accordingly.
The end result will either be light, fluffy, warm bread… a life that glorifies Jesus – the Bread of Life… or a dense, flat piece of leathery dough… a life swayed by the devil and his agents that weighs us down and steals our joy. What are you doing with the “yeast” in your life? Do you know how to tell “good yeast” from bad? What sort of “bread” are YOU baking?
©2011 Debbie Robus
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