Skip to main content

John 13:13-17: Spoonful of Salvation

This story is from an article by Reverend Dr. Darren J.N. Middleton published in The Expository Times where he relates a Ghanaian parable:

Once Kwaku Anansie lived in a town filled with wicked [selfish] people. They were always fighting, backbiting … [gossiping, and just being selfish]. Finally Kwaku decides to teach the people a lesson. He tells his wife to prepare a large banquet. Then he invites everyone in the town on one condition, that they have to eat with the spoons that are provided. As the guests arrive Kwaku hands each guest a spoon with a very [very] long handle. The guests then begin to eat the delicious food set before them. But since they are sitting close together they begin to disturb each other with their long spoons. In a short time all the guests are pushing, shouting, and fighting with one another. Kwaku [then] stands on a chair and calls for order. ‘I have invited you to a banquet and you have turned it into a battleground. Why are you doing this?’ One of the guests then raises his spoon and shouts, ‘Kwaku Anansie, you have [betrayed and] deceived us and made us look foolish! Nobody can eat with these long spoons you have given us! Kwaku responds, ‘no, it is not that I have made you look foolish but rather your own selfishness has betrayed you.’ Then he calls one of the guests to sit across the table from him. ‘This is the way to use these spoons’, he says as he dips his long spoon into the soup and feeds the person across from him.

Kwaku fed his guest personally, everyone at the banquet needed to do the same in order to enjoy the meal. Jesus washed his disciples feet and every one of us who has been cleansed by Jesus needs to do likewise at the eschatological banquet as we inherit everlasting life. Jesus says, John 13:13-17:

“You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. 14 Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. 15 I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. 16 Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17 Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.

Now that we know these things, we will be blessed if we do them. This is important. There is no room for selfishness at the everlasting banquet. There is no room for thinking we are above helping others and serving them as a servant would serve a friend of his master. This is the only way we can truly enjoy our place at the eternal feast with Christ.

In what ways can we accept a spoonful of salvation from someone else while we offer them the same? 
More daily blogs at
More articles, sermons, and papers at
www.sheepspeak.com
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

2 Timothy 1:12: Learn to Suffer

2 Timothy 1:12: That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet I am not ashamed, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day. Today’s thought on 2 Timothy 1:12 is entitled ‘Learn to Suffer’. ‘Learn to Suffer’ is motto of a Scottish Clan. Anyone know which clan? Clan Duncan. The Clan motto is ‘Learn to Suffer.’ Did you know that 2 of the early kings of Scotland were Duncans: One was Duncan I and do you know who was the other? Duncan II. Duncan I obtained the throne through murder and Duncan II lost it the same way. The Duncans would learn to suffer. The Duncans historically weren’t so good at choosing the winning side in important battles. They supported the victorious Robert the Bruce in his wars and received benefits from that. But later they supported Charles I, who was defeated, murdered and his country conquered by Cromwell’s Puritans. In supporting the losing side in this war, the Duncans would learn to suff
Post a Comment
Read more

Beware: Christian Junk Food

THIS IS AN INTERESTING ARTICLE WE STUMBLED ACROSS BY ANNE GRAHAM LOTZ Why the average believer is starving for something more. By Anne Graham Lotz I love junk food—McDonald's french fries, Auntie Anne's pretzels, and almost any kind of pizza! If I'm not careful, though, I will gain unwanted pounds while getting zero nutrition. Many Christians seem to eat spiritually the way I am tempted to eat physically. They fill up on "junk food"—Christian books, CDs, TV programs, seminars, and all sorts of church activities—none of these are bad, really, but they lead to a sickly spiritual state if consumed apart from the true Bread of Life. We need the real nutritional "food" that will be served one day at the Wedding Supper referred to in Revelation 19:9, food that we can partake of right now as we dig into God's Living Word. For the past 17 years, as I have crisscrossed America, speaking at various conferences and churches, I have become convinced of
Post a Comment
Read more

Thoughts on a Trip to Ontario Part 5: Conclusion: Be Prepared (2 Timothy 4:2)

2 Timothy 4:2: Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction.   We went to Ontario couple of days before the Celebration of Life. We spent our first two nights in a community called Woodstock because it was within driving distance of Stratford. You know what Stratford is famous for? It’s Shakespeare Festival! That is quite interesting. Do you know the history of the festival? Stratford Ontario, as we know, is named after Stratford, UK. And Stratford UK has a strong connection with William Shakespeare. So the Tom Patterson a few years after returning from World War II started the festival to help revive his home town. It is really worked and the town and the festival are still going and bigger than ever.   Now, we were one week early to actually catch the festival itself but we did get to see one play: Romeo and Juliet . This was especially good because Sarah-Grace was with us and she is, of
Post a Comment
Read more