Food adventures are some of the best kinds of adventures. My parents coined this thing called “AIF-ing,” (adventures in food) where if they were in an area with a bunch of different restaurants, we would stop at each one and order their most famous item. That way we could each try a bite, but also get multiple things. Or I think of a trip to Taiwan that Brianna and I went on, and I devel- oped what I call the “Point and Pray” method. Whereas we didn’t read or speak the language, sometimes we just had to point to an item on the menu and pray it would work out. Sometimes it hauled in huge success, and sometimes you’d have to eat something that would be looking back at you. Even more recently, I’ve been introduced to the world of “Coney Islands” here in Michigan; where there are multiple Coney Islands, but they are all different. They’re the exact same menu wise, but entirely different food wise. (L George’s is winning so far). We could talk about different pizzas in different areas: New York style, Chicago, New Haven, Detroit style. We could talk about hot dogs: Chicago dog, New York, Skyline. Even one of my favorite food-universes, donuts: yeast, cake, long john, fritter. Truly, the world of food is an astonishing thing.
As silly as it sounds, sometimes I think our outreach needs to look a little more food-y. You have a unified base of crust, sauce, and cheese that is employed entirely differently in New York than it is in Chicago, yet a unified people that love pizza. You have a unified base of bun, dog, and toppings that is entirely different in Cincinnati than it is in Germany, yet a world that loves hot dogs. You have a whole unified body of work concerning doughnuts with flour and sugar, but many different styles. In the same way, as scripture points out, the church has one body, many parts. We have a foundation that can’t be shaken, moved, or changed, and a base level of being the sons and daughters of the living God. We NEVER change the foundation, yet we all have different flavors when it comes to outreach! I think of who Matthew the tax collector could have talked to in a way that Simon the zealot could not, or how Paul used reason with the Greeks and history with the Jews, as to “be all things to all people.” One body, many parts. May we use the different styles and flavors that God has given us to show the world His unified wonders and love. May we use the world of gifts and talents that God has given us to reach everyone everywhere. Let’s go “Aif-ing.
Caleb Smith, Pulpit MinisteR
