Recently, I’ve developed a casual interest in a variety of television cooking shows. Ironically, I can’t cook much of anything–I specialize in eating. Oh, I can serve a mean peanut butter and jelly sandwich along with a decent pot of coffee, but let’s be honest, that doesn’t really involve cooking. I’m not sure why I enjoy these shows, but it may have something to do with my competitive spirit. The competition-based cooking shows like Chopped are the ones I really like to watch.
Although I am no cook, I’ve noticed that cooking and spiritual growth has something in common . . . .
You have to start with good ingredients!
Good ingredients are paramount if the food is going to be great. Chefs talk about the key role ingredients play on these shows all the time. The same is true in spiritual growth. Believers must have the ingredients in their lives that lead to growth. We refer to these as spiritual disciplines. Lots of lists of spiritual disciplines exist, but here are the basics:
- Reading the Bible
- Praying to the Lord
- Fellowshipping with other believers
- Sharing your faith
- Ministering to others
- Walking with Christ
One of the best books on the subject of spiritual disciplines is John Ortberg’s book, The Life You’ve Always Wanted. If you haven’t read it, add it to your reading list–you won’t regret it.
Steve Rice 