Mama always knew that when I went back home for a visit I would want her to cook me my favorite. That was, of course, her meatballs…famous in the Tri-State area.
I found out later that she had a secret ingredient: stale Italian bread. I always wondered why there was a loaf of stale Italian bread in the bread cupboard. She would soak the Italian bread and then use it to make her famous meatballs. She would make enough to eat and then freeze the rest so I could take some back home. My father made an outrageous tomato salad that I would also request…yummy! When we would have family gatherings people would always bring their specialties, often requested by other family members. I’m sure we can all relate.
Meatballs, tomato salad, whatever food we prepare will cost us time, money, and labor. There is no comparison when we try to duplicate the experience at a restaurant. Nobody can make meatballs like my mama!
Spiritually it’s the same way. It’s interesting to compare the corporate church model to the house church model, which I believe is more Biblically based. Think of your restaurant experience…you decide to go to a restaurant with a famous chef, get dressed up, you drive up, if it’s a fancy place you can get valet parking, you enter and get seated, you check out the menu, get served, eat the food, pay and leave a tip, then you leave. If you don’t like the food or experience, next time you can go to another restaurant, maybe one not so big and fancy. Eventually you’ll find a place that fits your style and taste.
Compare that to a family gathering or a picnic. You have to give some thought to the event, decide what to bring, go out and prepare your meal, make enough for all to enjoy, share your gift with others and hopefully take home some leftovers that others lovingly prepared. When we meet together we are expected to bring something. Participating is good for us and good for the church.
I Corinthians 14:26 What then is the right course, believers? When you meet together, each one has a psalm, a teaching, a revelation (disclosure of special knowledge), a tongue, or an interpretation. Let everything be constructive and edifying and done for the good of all the church.
The challenge in today’s Christian experience is that we are accustomed to pay for services rendered. We expect an experienced cook and staff will do all the work. We just show up, enjoy and pay for it. If we don’t enjoy the experience we feel free to go to another church. As stated in scripture, a proper house church needs everyone to participate and bring something. In my experience this is the hardest hurdle to overcome. It’s so hard to break the mindset of coming to a meeting expecting to get and not give. Yes it takes work, time to interact with God and courage to share something personal but over time each of us will develop a special dish (gifting). We will eventually find joy in the preparation and joy as others consume. Also, don’t forget to make enough so others can take some home.
Author: Jonathan Rovetto
2 replies on “Mama’s Meatballs”
Thank you mama!
“ It’s so hard to break the mindset of coming to a meeting expecting to get and not give.”
Our human flesh loves the “getting” and not “giving.” Our flesh does not want us to know it’s lazy, thoughtless, self-preoccupied. Our flesh wants is to be blind to the realizing that we are pooling our money to buy experts to mostly benefit ourselves and call it “giving”. But the Spirit, using the “sword of the Spirit which is the word of God” is constantly calling us to prepare and contribute from his “gifts” to each person. This is a battle ground to engage with “the full armor of God” being worn.
Only wealthy people can practice the hire experts to get from. The majority of God’s people around the world are too poor or too oppressed to do any hiring. They always obey. It’s the wealthy who have to be more honest about their investments to realize they are consumers, not investors. I had to repent of consuming claimed to be generosity. What a joy to walk in the truth and share it with others.
The “grace of giving” is always giving BEYOND ourselves. 2 Cor. 8 & 9.