“You are to distinguish between the holy and the common, and between the unclean and the clean” (Leviticus 10:10 ESV).
Growing up we never had the five-second rule; however, I have witnessed other people use it. They’ll drop a piece of candy or food and if it only barely hit the ground they would say “five-second rule,” quickly grab it up and continue eating it. According to an article in the Smithsonian Magazine, food scientist Donald Schaffner says, “Bacteria can contaminate instantaneously” thereby disproving that food dropped for only a fraction of a second is bacteria free. His findings were of course more complicated than that depending on what kind of food was dropped and on what type of surface.
When scripture talks about the clean and unclean, it is not talking about whether or not food hit the ground for five seconds. In rereading the Levitical laws, I realize how little I understand about the different kinds of offerings and why the Lord commanded them to do things in a certain way. What I did understand was the concept of making a distinction between what was used for the sanctuary verses everyday life. I think today that has become a very blurry line. After all, many things that applied to the Jews are not part of our worship service. So while our church doesn’t have priests, or burn incense, or kill animals, we do still meet together on Sabbath. If we set apart the Sabbath as a holy time, that means more than just going to church, either in person or virtual. The Jews could go to the temple any day of the week, so what makes the Sabbath special? What we choose during the rest of the day on Sabbath is the key to whether or not we consider the whole time on that day as holy, set apart to God.
A few weeks ago, I attended a funeral where I thought a young lady had confused the service for a club. Stilettos and a super short dress were not, in my opinion, appropriate funeral attire. However, while I was silently judging her, I realized that there was no dress code for funerals and if there was certainly my bright fuchsia pain free sneakers were also out of place. She and I were both in attendance to honor the person who had passed. And she, more than I, was there to support the family since I only barely knew even one of them. Paul says that “circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter” (Romans 2:29b ESV). The distinction between clean and unclean or holy and unholy is a matter of heart rather than outward appearance. If my heart is in the right place, so then will be my thoughts. The five-second rule isn’t good for food, but it comes in handy when picking up my thoughts, bringing them back to what is clean and holy, and setting them apart to God.