Soul Food

They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 

– Acts 2:42

What’s your idea of a great meal?

For some folks, it’s a grilled steak, baked potato, and salad that hit the spot. Others love pizza, Vietnamese, or seafood. And let’s not forget those who crave vegetarian. 

Tastes and taste buds may vary widely, but it’s hunger that unites. However, there’s another kind of appetite that has nothing to do with cheeseburgers and ice cream. It’s the spiritual hunger that’s hard-coded into our DNA. Inside, everyone has a gnawing desire to fill a gaping

internal void. Some try in vain through negative pursuits such as drug use, alcohol, compulsive spending, or gambling. Others attempt to fill it by becoming workaholics or escaping reality through social media, video games, or even travel. But after the thrill is gone, the hunger always returns ... and they’re never satisfied. 

Jesus addressed this universal dilemma by proclaiming (and proving) himself to be the “food” that everyone craves. It’s in John 6:35 that he reveals:

"I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.”

Of course, we all need an appetite — a certain level of intensity — to continue developing as Christ-followers. God has so many things for us to see, experience, and comprehend during our brief existence on Earth. That’s how we grow and mature into Jesus’ likeness. And how boring would it be if we knew all the answers to life from Day 1?

Unfortunately, too many Christ-followers experience spiritual malnourishment and stunted growth along their faith-journey. So, what’s the remedy? It’s to make the most of the people, places, and situations that God puts before us every day. Likewise, it’s also up to every Believer to continue developing through regular Bible study, prayer, worship, small group participation, and other scriptural habits. 

After all, there’s nothing like a good workout to whet one’s appetite — and then satisfy it with food for the soul.

 

Tongue Tied

The tongue is like a spark. It is an evil power that dirties the rest of the body and sets a person's entire life on fire with flames that come from hell itself.

– James 3:6

Did the Great Chicago Fire of 1871 start — as legend has it — when Mrs. O’Leary’s cow kicked over a lantern? Or did it begin when a one-legged man slipped on Mrs. O’Leary’s wet barn floor and dropped his lit pipe into some hay or wood shavings?

The answer doesn’t matter except to history buffs and insurance adjusters. But whatever the fire’s cause, its aftermath was horrific. Citizens of The Windy City were forced to deal with nearly $200 million in property damage, 300 people dead, and another 100,000 homeless. And all it took was a single spark.

Centuries earlier. James — the half-brother of Jesus — taught a similar, fiery lesson through the New Testament book he wrote to some of the earliest Christ-followers. But instead of the destruction that comes from a tiny spark, James described the devastating power of the human tongue. It’s one of the smallest parts of the body. But the tongue still has the power to both uplift and destroy as well as bless and curse.

How many times have we uttered something inappropriate (or maybe downright mean-spirited) that seemed to come out of nowhere? Saying the wrong thing at the wrong moment to the wrong person has cost people their careers, marriages, and reputations. And whether it’s through gossip, lying, sarcasm, cursing, or taking God’s name in vain, we don’t lack for the words we wish we could take back.

During World War II, the U.S. Government produced posters bearing the headline, Loose Lips Sink Ships. The message was that spies could pick up careless — although seemingly innocent — gossip about Allied troop movements, ship departures, and other secret information. And when that intelligence reached the enemy’s ears, the result was often carnage, death, and destruction. Likewise, Christ-followers today must watch their tongues to avoid causing sunk relationships and reputations. Our words should instead lift up rather than put down. The Apostle Paul put it this way through Ephesians 4:29: 

“Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.” 

On the Job

“His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’”

– Matthew 25:23

Career.io is an AI-powered career platform with tools for job seekers, career changers, and those looking to grow in their current roles. In 2024, it analyzed 755,758 employee-submitted job reviews to identify the careers that make Americans the happiest. And if you believe the results, a big paycheck doesn’t guarantee workplace satisfaction. It turns out that real estate agents have the happiest job in the nation. The list’s other contented job titles include carpenter, software developer, fitness instructor, firefighter, and administrative assistant.

The saying goes that you’ll never work a day in your life if you love what you do for a living. That’s when a run-of-the-mill job becomes a passion. But whether you’re thrilled with your career or you’re just putting in the hours for a paycheck, the New Testament’s book of Colossians has this admonition for us:

“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men …”

In other words, it makes no difference if you’re the CEO of an international corporation or a 9-to-5 ditch-digger: we should all do our jobs for God’s glory. And Christ-followers should also consider the workplace as much a place of worship on weekdays as church is on Sundays. Likewise, we must work — and live — with the end in mind. Because once we pass into eternity, job titles and salaries will be worthless. Rich or poor, famous or obscure, we’ll all have to account for what we did in our lifetimes with the gifts and talents our Creator gave us. 

The world’s message is that focusing on money, status, and upward mobility can lead to a successful career, and that a successful career equates to a successful life. But the world has it backward. Everything we have — our money, possessions, family, and health — is due to God’s generosity. He gives it freely ... and he can take it away without notice.

God’s definition of success surely comes as a surprise to many in the workforce. The lesson here is that instead of living self-centered lives on the fast track to stock options and a corner office, our motivation should revolve around being Jesus’ hands and feet in the home, workplace, and community. It's our faithfulness to him that's the real measure of success on the job. 

For Better or For Worse

Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.

– Ephesians 5:21

America has transformed drastically over the last 100 years. There are the obvious changes — like the explosive growth of the suburbs, Walmart, and smartphones. And of course, our great-grandparents could never have imagined the Internet, Amazon, and artificial intelligence.

These transformations may be good or bad depending on your perspective. But one change that’s definitely negative involves our society’s attitude toward marriage and family. Just a few decades ago, news of a couple living together outside of marriage would have been scandalous in many communities. And in some states, it could lead to jail time for the offending parties!

What happens over time when a large segment of the population turns its back on committed marriage? With so called “no-fault” laws and the literal promotion of adultery in popular culture, it’s no wonder that over 40% of marriages these days end in divorce. It’s also no surprise that so many people now believe that marriage isn’t even worth the trouble. Living together has become a rational option. And one byproduct is today’s skyrocketing rates of out-of-wedlock births — now reported to exceed 40%.

The common denominator is that society has largely rejected Biblical values like marriage as well as the companion concepts of mutual sacrifice, intentional time, and habitual grace. Worse still is that too many people have refuted God and his teachings entirely — the ones he gave us for experiencing meaningful, fulfilled lives. What were once considered clear, black-and-white issues of right and wrong have blended over the decades into murky shades of gray. 

To many modern-thinking couples, living together without strings attached is a more-palatable and tolerant lifestyle choice. Moreover, they demonize words like commitment and accountability — the biblical hallmarks of marriage that demand responsibility, faith … and ultimate dependence on a much greater Power. 

The God who created us, and wants only the best for us, has a radically different notion about marriage between men and women. Let’s remember that marriage is a gospel witness. And as we read in Matthew 19:6, Jesus provides this familiar explanation for it: 

“So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.”

What If?

“Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.’”

– Mark 16:6-7

Several years ago, a well-known insurance company ran a series of TV commercials that asked viewers to ponder a simple — yet profound — question: What if?

• What if you get sick and can't work?
• What if you get married and have triplets?
• What if you die and your family can't live without your lost income?

These commercials were effective reminders that real-life issues have real-life implications. And if you're not prepared (such as with the right insurance coverage), you might have something to fear. After all, millions of people each year really do suffer costly illnesses, injuries, and other setbacks.

Here's another consideration: Unless Jesus returns during our lifetimes, we’re all guaranteed a date with death because the mortality rate is 100%. And if we check the news headlines, we'll encounter another unpleasant reality: Society is plagued by violence, disease, and injustice. But while Believers like you and me aren't immune from these issues, we do have an answer to the uncertainties that grip so many who don't know Jesus as their Savior. It's his supernatural peace that defies all human understanding:

"I give you peace, the kind of peace that only I can give," Christ assures us in John 14:27. "It isn't like the peace that this world can give. So don't be worried or afraid."  

Those insurance commercials make a valid point: We do indeed live in a world of what-ifs. But Christ-followers have nothing to fear because God is — and always has been — in control in every situation. Even death has lost its sting because Jesus willfully died on the cross to pay the penalty for our many sins and failures. And because of his resurrection from the grave, he also fulfilled centuries-old Bible prophecies to prove his claims as being the Son of God. His triumph over death, which we celebrate each year on Easter, means that we have eternal hope. And it's through our simple faith in him that the what-ifs of life become fear-nots:

“He who believes in me will live, even though he dies.” Jesus tells us through John’s gospel. “And whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?"

Servant Leader

“Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

– Mark 10:43-45

Deafening Silence
Jumbo Shrimp
Civil War
Servant Leader

What do these figures of speech have in common? They’re all oxymorons — rhetorical devices that use contradictory terms for effect. And if you think about them for a second, they don’t make sense. But for whatever reason, the words mesh perfectly to communicate the idea.

The Bible reveals Jesus as one who always made his point with great effect, particularly to those willing to put his message into action. But instead of linking a few opposing words or phrases, God’s only Son turned entire concepts on their heads to reinterpret long-held notions about what holds true value. For example, consider his admonition to those seeking greatness:

“Whoever is the greatest should be the servant of the others. If you put yourself above others, you will be put down,” Jesus warns. “But if you humble yourself, you will be honored.”

This, of course, flies in the face of society’s “Looking-Out-for-#1” perspective. After all, how can you make it to the top if you let everyone walk all over you? 

For many people, selfishness and self-preservation would seem to be logical approaches to getting ahead and staying there. But to Christ-followers viewing things through the lens of the Gospel, it’s actually a recipe for disaster: “What will you gain if you own the whole world but destroy yourself?” Jesus asks. “What would you give to get back your soul?”

Jesus spent his brief ministry teaching from a servant-leadership perspective. And it’s through the Bible that we read how Believers should serve as his hands and feet until his return. Oftentimes that demands a completely new perspective from his would-be followers. Accepting Christ’s message is like a nearsighted child, who sees the world anew through a pair of glasses. At first, it can be awkward and difficult — and sometimes even intimidating. That’s because Jesus calls for total devotion rather than half-heartedness and non-committal. However, the eventual reward will one day make it all worthwhile:

"I tell you the truth," he told Peter, "no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the Gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age (homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields — and with them, persecutions) and in the age to come, eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last first."

A Glimpse of Glory

After six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John with him and led them up a high mountain, where they were all alone. There he was transfigured before them. His clothes became dazzling white, whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them. And there appeared before them Elijah and Moses, who were talking with Jesus.

– Mark 9:2 – 4

God’s omnipotence and perfection are consistent themes throughout the Bible. And since he’s the Creator of all things and we’re merely his limited creations, we shouldn’t think twice that he’s all-knowing and all-seeing of things past, present, and future. But on the other hand, what’s sometimes confusing is that his words and deeds so often contradict human nature:

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts,” God tells us through Isaiah 55:8, and “neither are your ways my ways.” Jesus — who happens to be God in the flesh — also has a viewpoint that opposes our modern, me-first generation. “To be first,” he declares, “we must be last.”

Christ’s bold assertion sheds new light on the ways we should treat our neighbors. And how much better would this world be if we took the time to adopt his servant’s attitude and put the interests of others before our own?

Jesus answers this question through his own example. First, he willingly surrendered his rightful privileges as God’s only Son. He entered the world through humble circumstances — a birth among farm animals in a filthy stable. And as he grew up, he made a common-man’s living as a carpenter. Christ could have lived in splendor as the King of Kings. But instead, he chose a nomadic lifestyle for teaching the Good News of salvation to all who would listen.

That’s quite a life-lesson — one taught by the One with a humble servant’s heart. And although he had just three years to save the world, he still made time in his busy schedule to touch the lives of society’s outcasts. It was this same Jesus who healed the sick, fed the hungry, and trained disciples on the way of truth. There’s good reason he’s called God with Us:

"When we told you about the powerful coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, we were not telling just clever stories that someone invented,” the apostle Peter declares through his second New Testament book, “but we saw the greatness of Jesus with our own eyes."

 It was an astounding glimpse of glory that we too will one day experience face-to-face.