GOD'S GIFTS AND BARBECUE

During much of the 1980's and 1990's, my wife and I owned and managed a southern style barbecue restaurant.  In addition to serving a constantly growing customer base, we were blessed with the regular tasting and enjoying my favorite food.  Southern boy that I am, we called it "bobby-q."

The barbecue meats included pork, beef, chicken and pork ribs.  We also added to the menu hickory-smoked chicken wings, fried fish and an assortment of home-style vegetables and desserts.  Mmmm...I can smell it now...and almost taste it.

All of the barbecue was cooked in a specially designed smoker that used the heat and smoke from a real, live fire of hickory wood.  That fire, unfortunately, had to be started every morning and maintained all day long.

So, when reading my Bible today in my morning devotions, my attention was "vice-gripped" by one of the verses.  The passage was the first chapter of II Timothy.  The particular verse was verse 6, where Paul told Timothy to "fan into flame the gift of God..."

Every person who believes on the Lord Jesus Christ and receives Him as Savior, also receives a gift from God.  That gift can be one (or more) of the gifts discussed in scriptural references such as I Corinthians 12.  Don't get "hung up" by any particular gift.  It is for God to decide what gift.  And all the gifts are for building up the church body.  But, our job is to "fan into flame" that gift in order to be effective.

That's when the comparison began to hit me.  In order to have that barbecue cooked, somebody had to "fan the flame."  And the same is true regarding the gift God gave to me, if that gift can be used for edifying the church.

The version of the Bible that I was reading was the New International Version (NIV).  I quickly reached for the King James Version (KJV).  It translated the same part of verse 6 as "stir up the gift of God."  I then read the same passage from the New American Standard Bible (NASB).  It read "to kindle afresh the gift of God."

It was the combination of these translations that gave me a much more complete meaning.

In the barbecue restaurant, when we came in the first thing in the morning, we stirred the coals from the previous day's fire.  This caused the coals to become live, hot coals.  Then, we added some kindling (paper; very dry, small pieces of wood; or even "fat lighter" pine splinters).  Finally, we fanned the hot coals and kindling until a flame started.  Only when the flame was going could we add more hickory wood and begin to maintain the fire.

This is why I make Bible reading, praying and listening to the Holy Spirit a daily practice.  Often, He uses everyday experiences to teach me...Sometimes it's a combination of versions of the Scriptures...Other times it's a book I'm reading.  But, God always teaches me, if I keep my heart and mind open to Him.

Father, teach me today the ways You would have me use the gift You gave me.  May I keep the flames going on my gift so You may build up Your church and bring glory to Yourself.

Your comments are helpful.  Thank you for sharing.