Who am I? I’m just like you are. I’m a wife, a mother, I’m a
friend. I’m family, and I’m a random stranger.
Is your kitchen big or small?
Is your kitchen clean or dirty?
Is your kitchen tidy or cluttered?
Does anyone NOT have a kitchen? As long as you have running
water and microwave, you have a kitchen.
When we talk about “Kitchen Service” which is the title of
the chapter that inspired this presentation, you have to realize that we all
have a kitchen and we all have what it takes to serve others. Our ability and
opportunity to serve others, like our kitchens, are all different – but we all
have kitchens.
What is a kitchen for?
First of all, our kitchens are a place where we provide
nourishment – first for ourselves, then our family. Our kitchens and our lives
are designed to help nourish and sustain people. The Bible talks about the word
of God being milk for newborns and meat for the more mature.
Sometimes our kitchens are a place of hospitality and
refreshment. When I remember my grandmother, one of her signature
characteristics was her hospitality. Whether you were invited or if you showed
up unannounced, her first question, regardless of the time of day, was, “Can I
get you something to eat or drink?” Of course, what made my grandmother
memorable was her capacity to make people feel welcome. And, she did that by
taking time to listen and talk more than by her offers of food and drink.
Kitchens are also the place where treats – where desserts –
are born. Are your life and your service a treat for others? Do your
interactions leave them feeling satisfied? or with the feeling that something
was missing?
So what are the tools in your kitchen? What do you already
possess that already equips you to serve others? I’ve come up with a list of 7
kitchen tools and I believe most of you already have these items in your
kitchen toolbox and in your life toolbox. Let’s see if you’re ready for
“kitchen service.”
The Kitchen Timer
By Mindful – Listen to the Holy Spirit’s prompting so you’ll
know when it’s TIME to minister. That means slowing down to listen for Him. You
can’t serve others if you’re not taking care of yourself and your own spiritual
walk. Being mindful also means slowing down to listen to others. Effective
listening always requires TIME and effort.
Oven Mitts
Be Protected – Remember to protect yourself from being worn
away by service without wrapping your heart, your hands, and your mind in
Christ’s love. You need an active relationship with Jesus to protect your from
the cares and the overwhelming need of the world.
Seasoning
Be salt. The Bible calls us to be salt that has not lost its
savor – its effectiveness as a seasoning and a preservative. And, we need to be
sugar when people need sweetness in their lives, chamomile when people need
soothing, and cayenne when they need a little heat to make them sweat!
Knives
Be Sharp! Act wisely and use the right tools for the job. We
don’t use a paring knife to cut a watermelon or a meat cleaver to trim
strawberries! Serving others may mean helping trim off dirty peelings, cutting
out bad spots, or slicing things into manageable chunks.
A Turner
Be watchful. We all need people in our lives who watch over
us – and if we are fortunate, they step in and guide us when the timing is just
right. Sometime, people are stubborn, and when they stick – they get burned.
A Spatula
Be pliable. Spatulas are those handy flexible tools that
allow you took scrape all the sweet brownie mix from the bottom and sides of
the mixing bowl. We need to be pliable people who bend to God’s urging, who
dole out the bits of sweet stuff that remains when someone’s world seems to be
empty and dry.
A Citrus Press
Be refreshing. Not everyone has a citrus press. It’s a tool
many people don’t feel like they need. But if you plan on being refreshment to
those around you, if you believe God is calling you to give that cup of cool
water to a child, that Quik Trip Coke to a highway worker, then this might be a
tool you need. This is one of those inexpensive tools that can make your job
easier. As a life tool, being refreshing to others just takes an awareness that
a little thing can make a huge difference. We need to work smarter, not harder,
when we serve others.
These are our tools: Be mindful, Be protected. Be salt. Be
sharp. Be watchful. Be a treat. Be refreshing.
Now, how do we use our set of kitchen tools in the world? We
don’t really need much training to use this particular set of tools. We’re all
human, we all have a kitchen.
Where will we use our tools?
We will use our tools where we are. You don’t have to change
much to more effectively use your kitchen tools. You come in contact with
people every day.
Change your resolutions to better serve others into goals.
Resolutions are nothing more than vague promises to be better. Instead of
resolutions, set a tangible goal to serve others as you go on your way, out of
your way, and in all kinds of ways.
Our tools won’t work if we don’t have a desire or a plan to
use them. Without God’s Spirit working in your life, you cannot love. Without
love, you will have no desire to serve in God’s name. Without that desire, you
cannot minister. You must have Mary’s willingness to sit and learn at the feet
of Jesus before you can turn your Martha work into God’s work.
