A note from Kelly King: We’re just a few weeks into summer, and if you’re already wishing for a back-to-school routine, Kasey Ewing reminds us of the two most important ingredients to following Christ—loving God and loving others. I’m grateful for this reminder when I complicate ministry leadership. How about you?
Summer is upon us, and for our house, that means teenage boys all summer long who want to be fed often. Constant hunger causes me great distress. Surely they really don’t desire food again; we just ate.
I popped onto Pinterest to get some ideas for “lunch ideas for teenage boys.” After scrolling for too long and diving into the abyss of comparison and self loathing, I quit.
We have made life too hard. We have created the madness, and it is time to get off the crazy train.
I have to ask: what happened to peanut butter and jelly with only two options—grape or strawberry? If you were lucky, you had the choice of crunchy or plain. That is it. The end. We are returning to peanut butter and jelly in our house. I am not even going to cut off the crusts, and you can forget the creative-shaped sandwiches.
Jesus makes life simple. He does this for us. He sums up our commands with two things: peanut butter and jelly.
Love God. Love people.
We can absorb ourselves in management tools—the personality tests, the production enhancers, and all the things that are supposed to make us better. Tools and tips can be helpful, but these two commands will change all families, teams, and friends.
Love God: be full of Him.
Love people: see them through His lens.
Today, when situations arise and you need wisdom, let this reign in your mind: “What does God want to accomplish in this situation?” and “What is the loving response?”
It is not a compliment sandwich that veils the criticism in praise.
It is not a cure to a personality type.
It is not a process for high productivity.
It is a way of life.
Peanut butter and jelly.
Love God.
Love people.
Kasey Ewing is the Family Ministry Director at New Vision Church in Murfreesboro, TN. She is married to Brad who is the Buchanan Campus Pastor at New Vision and has three boys—Drew, Jake (in heaven), and Jackson.
