I’m going to start your day with a sweet devotional. And, as an added bonus, it will be shorter than yesterday. However, the power isn’t in the length of the devotional but in the message. This is National Chocolate Covered Anything Day. It doesn’t get any simpler or better than that.
“Some people think that the cocoa bean is a fruit. Some might think that it is a vegetable as the FDA has reconsidered its guidelines in recent times and declared it as such. Some feel that it is a nut. But, cocoa beans are actually fruits. The seeds of the fruit of cocoa are what a cocoa bean is.”1 Carl Bender, Master of Science: Biochemical and Molecular Nutrition writes, “Cocoa beans are a fruit, well technically, they are the seeds inside the pod of a cocoa tree. The pod is the fruit and the cocoa beans are the seeds, but they are generally considered a fruit.”2
Since doctors tell us to get more fruits, nuts, and vegetables into our diet, it seems to me that regardless of which category into which chocolate is placed, doctors would – should – approve. Now, that is a prescription I can support!!! Chocolate dispensaries should be springing up all over the state!
Being National Chocolate Covered Anything Day, what’s your favorite chocolate covered item? I don’t like mixed fruit – chocolate (if categorized as a fruit) on strawberries, bananas, oranges, apples, or mangos are fruits I can easily walk by. However, chocolate covered blueberries, cherries, and raisins are wonderful. Fruit covered fruit! And who can resist chocolate covered pretzels, crackers, cookies, nuts, coffee beans, or anything with peanut butter?
Now, in my opinion, there are some folks out there who get carried away with this and are willing to cover anything in chocolate and call it gourmet. Have you ever tried chocolate
covered bacon? What about jalapenos and onions? Then, there are those who think that a bit of chocolate would make crickets and grasshoppers palatable. Maybe John the Baptist should have tried that on his locusts!
While chocolate covered anything isn’t always good, the Bible tells us something that is always good. Proverbs 10:12 says, “Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins.” Peter refers to this in 1 Peter 4:8. “And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.” Love is a much better covering than chocolate.
Peter had sinned greatly against the Lord while Jesus was hanging on the cross. Three times, Peter denies even knowing Jesus. After the resurrection, I imagine that Peter couldn’t make eye contact with Jesus. Anytime Jesus was near, Peter would drop his gaze in shame, unwilling to look upon the Savior he shunned.
As you read the Scriptures, have you noticed that Jesus never once brings it up? Jesus never says, “Hey, Peter, we need to have a talk about what you did while I hung on the cross. You lied. You swore. You denied me. How could you?!?” The moment that Jesus addresses Peter, it is all about one topic.
Love.
“…Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.” (John 21:15) Three times, Peter is questioned about his love for the Lord. Three times, that love is affirmed.
Love covered a multitude of sins.
Cover someone today in a sweetness that is better than chocolate. Cover them in love. 1 Corinthians 13:8 reminds us, “Charity never faileth…”
1https://kidadl.com/facts/food-drink/are-cocoa-beans-a-vegetable-this-classification-will-drive-you-cuckoo 2https://www.bing.com/search?q=Are+Cocoa+beans+a+fruit+or+a+vegetable?&form=hlthqa&filters=IsHealthExpRequery:%22True%22+AnsId:%221204272%22
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