“They went out and
preached that people should repent. They
drove out many demons and anointed many sick people with oil and healed them.” Mark 6:12-13
Growing up, I spent many hours sitting at the counter
watching my mom cook in the kitchen. She
would mix and measure and sift and stir and suddenly a marvelous meal would
appear on the table. The years flew by,
and before I knew it, I was headed out the door with a kiss and cookbook and
encouragement to have fun fixing meals for my own family. (I will now admit that the first dinner my
husband and I shared as newlyweds in our new-to-us home was a gourmet bowl of
Apple Jacks.) But somehow, miraculously,
the time spent watching and helping my mom has translated into over two decades
of mostly delicious dinners—and an occasional cooked breakfast.
A lot of life is like my cooking lessons—some is learned by
seeing but most is learned by doing. This
holds true even for spiritual stuff. By watching others minister we can learn
much about God’s grace and goodness, but when we’re the ones with the dirty
hands, tired legs, and heavy hearts, we sense His presence and power in ways we
can never know by simply spectating. Because
of this, Jesus decided one day it was time to move His boys from the counter to
the kitchen.
The Twelve, as they were called, had been watching Jesus
work as He “went around teaching from
village to village”(Mk 6:6), but then came the moment when He “sent them out two by two and gave them
authority over demons”(Mk 6:7). His instructions
were simple and straightforward. “Don’t
pack a suitcase. Don’t take snacks. Stay where you’re welcomed. Shake the dust off your feet as you leave
when you’re not.”
And they were off. “They went out and preached that people
should repent. They drove out many
demons and anointed many sick people with oil and healed them”(Mk 6:12-13). Be absolutely, utterly, and awesomely
amazed. Only a few chapters before these
same guys were reeling in slimy fish and cheating people on their taxes, and now
they’re speaking truth and changing lives.
Yes, we all know God was the One doing the work, but He chose to use
mere mortals to make the difference.
He still does. The
person who can lift up the lonely, help the hurting, and support the struggling
is you. Just the right guy to encourage a friend, fix a flat, or hand out food
to the hungry is the man in the mirror. No, we can’t do it all, and we’re not called
to, but we all can and should do something to share God’s grace everywhere we
go. And we’ve been commissioned to go
everywhere(Acts 1:8). Don’t take Jesus’ instructions
too literally—it’s okay to be prepared, but do rely on His provision for all of
your needs. You’ll have more than enough
to take care of yourself and others too.
God is always at work in the world. Being aware is good,
but being involved is better.
It’s a short distance from the counter to the kitchen, but
that little step makes a big difference.
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