by April McAllister, Frontier Fellowship Summer 2018 Intern
One afternoon, as I was doing some research for my internship and pondering the night’s dinner, I stumbled across this phrase: “The most delicious dishes are simmered slowly, allowing the complexity of the flavors to sink in.”
As I thought about the meaning of the phrase, I realized the simmering of a delicious meal is a slow and gentle process that allows food to maintain its structure without falling apart. As the complexity of the ingredients join together, they create a depth of flavor that can’t be hastily prepared. Each layer and various tastes meld together, creating a rich, satisfying whole.
The Body of Christ is like that. During my summer internship, I worked with ministry leaders and local organizations, learning from different models and strategies to help people discover their unique callings to serve in God’s Kingdom. Those partnerships revealed how unity and collaboration replace judgment and competition, allowing us to see the value and beauty of the varied ways Christ calls His people to serve Him.
In Ephesians 4:15–16, Paul reminds us how we’re all part of the same body, joined together by every ligament to promote communal growth. Each member, established in Christ’s love, matures us. The building of our faith—and the Body of Christ—is a steady and tender process. Mutual concern, support and love enrich the Church through the particular gifts each member contributes to the full expression of Kingdom community. Paul calls us as faithful followers of Jesus to celebrate the uniqueness (or flavor) of one another.
Like a complex, nourishing meal, God combines our unique backgrounds and gifts to create a richer, stronger Church. How are you celebrating the varied ways God’s grace knits us together as Kingdom coworkers while He makes all things new in your community? Who can you invite to gather around your table and share a meal?
Read more from our Advent devotional series.
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