I had my suspicions...

I have to be honest, I had my suspicions. To be fair though, I wasn't 100% sure. It's been a while since I've had babies, so an exact recollection of what all types of baby food taste like  was sketchy in my mind. It didn't take long last night to bring the full force of the nastiness of baby food back to my mind. If I remember correctly, it was when several of my students were gagging and throwing up in the garbage can that I fully remembered. 

Our monthly game night has a bit of a reputation. Students have come to expect something gross and as any good youth pastor will understand, "I just don't want to let them down." The game was simple, each team had to finish 5 jars of baby food. And just so you know that I'm not a complete monster, I was sure to buy all of the fruity, sweet tasting varieties of baby food. (Insert heavy doses of sarcasm). Each team member simply had to take a spoonful from each of the 5 jars and then pass them along to the next team member until the jar was empty. Sounds simple right? 

What was interesting as I watched this unfold were the wide variety of responses. Some students easily spooned out their portion without a grimace while others began to gag at the first whiff of the smell. Through my tears of laughter I was reminded that each of us is equipped by God with a different set of abilities, gifts, personalities and interests. 1 Corinthians 12 maps out a great analogy between us as believers and the various parts of the human body. 

• What if we were all feet? We could get to wherever we wanted to go but couldn't do much when we got there because we had no hands. 
• Or what if we were all mouths? There would be a lot of chatter but no one to listen to any of it. 

Each of us has a role to play as a part of the kingdom. What's your role? Do you even know what your role is? Have you ever asked God to reveal to you the part you are called to play? How long will you be satisfied with sitting on the bench? Your faith will grow exponentially when you begin to give back and serve those around you. 

• Not all of us can eat nasty baby food.
  
• Not all of us can work with babies.
  
• Not all of us can clean with passion.
  
• Not all of us can cut grass with excellence.
  
• Not all of us are good at painting or singing or preaching or teaching.
  

It's not about being like everyone else. It's about living in and functioning in the manner that God created you to. What can you do that people are amazed at? What's your baby food?

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