A Simple Breakfast

            I suppose this is what happens when you get a few Bible-college students together.

            I was sitting, for the first time in a long time, with two of my friends for the express purpose of fellowship. There was nothing to accomplish; there was no work to get finished; there were no agendas, committees, or meetings taking place. We were determined to simply sit, eat some food, and enjoy each other’s company. It was refreshing.

            During our time together – somewhere between the scrambled eggs and pancakes – the subject of the great commission was brought up (Mat. 28:19-20). What struck me, however, was not the subject but the perspectives. We all saw the need to fulfill the great commission, but we each saw ourselves as fulfilling different parts. For example, my friend across the table from me (who has a beard worthy of coveting) proceeded to communicate that he, as a missionary, found his calling in the word “go” (Mat. 28:19) My other friend, on the other hand, told us of how he (as a teacher/pastor) understood his calling to be linked to the phrase, “teaching them to observe all that I [Jesus] have commanded” (Mat. 28:20). I thought it was interesting how I – as I sat next to my bearded friend and my friend with a beautifully shaved head – derived my calling from a completely different portion of that text. I felt God had called me to “make disciples” (Mat. 28:19).

            As we were finishing the last of our eggs and bacon, this scenario struck me as a beautiful picture of the Body of Christ. Each of us served the same God, our names were written into the Lamb’s book of life, and we were committed to following the way of Jesus; but we all saw the great commission a little differently. It was not that one of us was wrong, and the others were right. Instead, I saw this as a depiction of diversity in unity.

            If the Body of Christ is to fulfill its mission, there needs to be different perspectives, callings, and passions. If we all saw ourselves as teachers, there would be no apostles or missionaries. If we all viewed ourselves as evangelists, the ministry of discipleship would be completely neglected. There needs to be a healthy diversity within the Community of Faith. The Bible says:

For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ.

For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body--Jews or Greeks, slaves or free--and all were made to drink of one Spirit.

For the body does not consist of one member but of many. (1 Cor. 12:12-14)

I pray this illustration will inspire you to seek out and fulfill your own calling, but I also hope this encourages you to appreciate the ministry of others. Be blessed!

-          Dusty