How Do You Take Your Coffee?

“There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.” 1 Corinthians 12:4-6 (NIV) I was thinking about the different ways we do things. For us coffee drinkers, we seem to have a wide variance in the way we like our coffee. The coffee chain I gravitate to has four sizes of coffee: S, M, L and XL . . . three kinds of coffee to choose from: regular, dark roast and decaf . . . then they have sugar, cream, or sweetener options. If you do the math, it comes out to 96 ways to build your own version, and that’s not counting the double-double, triple-triple, and quad-quad variations! Yup, we all do things a little different, but the common denominator is that we’re all coffee drinkers. In the realm of the “Christ-Follower” community, we find huge differences in the group demographics. First Corinthians chapter 12 brings out the scope of the variances in nationality and social status . . . “Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.” (12:13b-14, NIV) We are from such a mosaic of backgrounds, cultures, languages, and ethnicities. Our worship styles are all over the map and we embrace a range of doctrinal shades. We serve God in hundreds of ministry methodologies, but at the center of it all is our Crucified, Risen, and Reigning Savior, Jesus. We worship and obey Him as our Creator and Lord! Next time you’re in a coffee shop, eavesdrop and listen to all the ways people order their coffee. Springboard off that to consider the demographics, diversities, and differences among those with the highest privilege on earth, members of the gospel community . . . God’s family! – Kene Jackson   Council Fire is a collaboration with Intertribal Life Ministries and Native Evangelical Fellowship of Canada. The Council Fire Daily Devotional Book Set is available on the Intertribal Life Ministries website. Learn more about Council Fire at councilfire365.org