The Elusive Search for Safety

First published on Friday, January 23, 2009 in The Daily Sentinel


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With all of the attention paid to President Obama’s inauguration this week, other stories have understandably taken a back seat. I’ve seen lots of debate on the effectiveness, merit and impact of the various prayers offered in the inauguration. I’ve seen many words of advice to our new president from people from all across the political spectrum. But what has really raised the hairs on the back of my neck this week is peanut butter.

Did you know that peanut butter is suspected to be a potential killer? Kroger, Meijer, Kellog’s, and other companies are recalling their peanut butter cookies, candies, ice cream and other snacks because the peanut butter and peanut paste used to make them may be tainted with salmonella. Even pet food is now embroiled in the mess. PetSmart’s Grreat Choice Dog Biscuits are no longer such a great choice for your pet. And I didn’t even realize that dog biscuits were made with peanut butter.

This situation is quite scary for me – I love peanut butter! My favorite snack food cookie (admittedly a poor substitute for the homemade variety) is the Nutter Butter. Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups are my favorite chocolate/peanut butter candy. And there’s nothing better than a peanut butter/banana shake!

Blame the whole mess on one peanut butter factory in Blakely, Georgia. According to officials from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Peanut Corp. of America’s plant has proven to be the source of the Salmonella Typhimurium strain. The Wall Street Journal on Wednesday reported more than 480 people became sick across 43 states – all from one factory.

That just goes to show how inter-related our entire economy and food chain is across this nation. Because the Peanut Corp. peanut butter and peanut paste is a core ingredient for many other food companies’ different products, the effect is magnified tremendously. People have been worried about “Mad Cow” disease – but now its “polluted peanut butter” that’s the real problem.

Everyone wants to live in a safe world. And despite the Cold War, Vietnam, the oil crisis, and high inflation, we pretty much felt safely cocooned – until September 11, 2001. Since then, everything has changed. We seem to have no limits now when it comes to the elusive search for security.

A new federal bureaucracy – the Homeland Security Agency – now forces us to take off our shoes when flying in airplanes. Two wars – in Afghanistan and Iraq – are supposed to make us safer from terrorism. More than $850 billion in federal aid is supposed to keep our financial systems from melting down. The “Big Three” U.S. auto makers are in dire straits – along with most other industries – so that millions of us wonder whether our jobs will exist next week. And now, even peanut butter is not safe.

All of these problems could depress me and keep me from sleeping at night. But they don’t. And the reason is not that I ignore them most of the time, but rather, because I know that even should the worst happen, things will get better.

The Apostle Paul knew about the elusive search for safety, and he chose not to pursue it: “I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength.” (Philippians 4:11-13)

Jesus, too, refuted the need to search for safety: “Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?” (Matthew 6:26-27)

I believe that we should take precautions against bad things happening. Increasing our national security is a legitimate function of government – whether that’s economic security, military security, or disease prevention and control. But I want to caution us against becoming so afraid of what MIGHT happen that we no longer let ANYTHING happen.

Safety is elusive. We can never be absolutely safe and still be absolutely alive! And that’s what both Jesus and Paul are trying to tell us. So maybe you don’t eat a Keebler cookie this week, but why not bake up a fresh batch of peanut butter bars and share them with your friends? After all, you only live once!