Challenged by this quote: “What do we feed those we serve? Are they getting frequent meals rich in nutrition, or is it old and trivial stuff?� For me, this is the difference between preparing well and coasting. The problem is, I have enough natural ability, and enough “old stuff� to coast. Whether I’m leading a staff meeting, leading a small group, or preaching a sermon, I can choose to fall back on resources and ideas I’ve used before…or to take the time to prepare a meal that’s fresh. It’s always worth the effort to prepare something fresh. It honors the recipients, and it’s ultimately way more interesting for me.
The parallel to feeding my family is so obvious. When I warm up leftovers, it’s ho-hum. But when I take the time to shop, prepare, use interesting spices, and maybe find a brand-new recipe, the whole experience changes. And my family feels special and valued. Just like my church family does.
One more thought on this: it usually doesn’t take that much extra effort to prepare something fresh. Just some forethought, focusing on “Quadrant 2� stuff and refusing to wait till the last minute.
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