Do you have a favorite recipe? Is it a new recipe you are brave enough to try? Or is it a family recipe you’ve made time and time again and the ingredients are a well-kept secret? When following a recipe you could view it like a map to a hidden treasure, precisely measuring the amounts of each item – hoping the combination of ingredients will result in something delicious.
Have you ever thought of reading certain passages in the Bible like a recipe? This can help us understand why each part is so important. For example, in his second letter, Peter gave some steps of fruitfulness.
He said, “But for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love” (2 Peter 1:5-7).
In some ways, our lives are like a recipe. The difference is that there are no secret ingredients. It begins with faith in Jesus Christ. Peter, a follower of Jesus and one of the leaders of the Church, gave us some ingredients for an even better, more fulfilling life in Christ. Here’s his recipe for an effective and productive life:
- Begin with a personal relationship with Jesus. Be diligent. [Get your apron on and be prepared].
- Add goodness and an equal amount of knowledge. [Without wisdom and understanding, we’ll be flaky].
- Stir in self-control and perseverance. [This must follow knowledge or we’ll get puffed up thinking we’re ready to conquer the world when we’re really only half-baked.]
- Combine with godliness and a pinch of mutual affection.
- Mix thoroughly and bake with an abundance of brotherly love. [This prepares our heart to love the unlovable of the world just as Christ does- doing our best to be fully cooked as Christ’s light to share to the world].
God does not expect us to become instantly perfect in the qualities listed by Peter, but he tells us that we can “possess these qualities in increasing measure.” Growing in these areas because of our relationship with Jesus is the best recipe for a productive life.
Reflect:
Which characteristic in this list is an area in which God wants to help you grow?
What is one way you have grown in your relationship with Jesus since you started following Him?
And just for fun, I wanted to share two of my all-time favorite dinner recipes below….YUM!
Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Peach-Cucumber Salsa
Dirty Risotto
ENJOY
