GORP

Two of my favorite people embarked on a wilderness hiking expedition today. A group of Hope College students are taking a May term that sends them out to the Adirondacks in New York.

I got a peek at the syllabus for the course which includes not only lists coursework and schedule, but advice from former trip participants as well. Many comments in the advice section mention eating GORP. Now to me, Gorp is trail mix, and trail mix can take on a ton of different varieties. I have NO idea what combination of dried fruits and nuts will be provided on the Adirondacks trip, but I think of "Good Ole Raisins and Peanuts" as GORP. Naturally, I would also say the mix needs  a good helping of M&Ms to complete the recipe.

Gorp would not be Gorp without a mixture of flavor. Alone, each item gives great flavor. Combined together, they make great flavor outstanding! Every ingredient is important. Each ingredient is necessary for the overall perfect taste experience.

Christ's church is a lot like Gorp. Church is not the building, but the people. Old. Young. Servants. Speakers. Eccentrics. Extroverts. Introverts. People who come with a variety of talents and gifts.  The church needs peanuts who teach middle school Sunday School. The mix needs raisins who mentor young women. The recipes needs fruit who evangelize and serve the needy. And what church would be complete without the M&Ms encouraging others with their sweetness.

The peanut is not better than the raisin, nor is the raisin better than the M&M. Likewise, a raisin shouldn't desire to be a peanut! Each item is important to the overall flavor of the whole!

Next time you worship, look around. Find the peanuts, the raisins and the M&Ms. Then figure out which ingredient God gifted you to be. And then go out and add your flavor to the Gorp of God!

Read I Corinthians 12 for a look at how the God gives an array of gifts to his people to further his kingdom!