Oreos

Members of our church are on missions in Iowa this week. Unfortunately, my life would not allow me to make the trip this year so I decide to be part of it another way. I asked our youth interns what type of snacks they would like for the trip and both stated Oreos. These two people are after my heart!


Well, I bought two big boxes of Oreos. Each box contained 30 individual packages with six cookies. I got home with them and wanted to do a little something else. I decided to type out sixteen of my favorite bible verses, copy them, and tape them to the packages of cookies. Okay, I thought that would take care of my part on the mission trip. However, my chocolate overloaded brain and God led me do a mini lesson regarding Oreos and I wanted to share it with you.


First, take a close look at Oreos. You will notice they are two very different colors yet when you take a bite the favors blend together to create a fabulous experience. When you go on missions or serve in a church, you sometimes meet people who are very different than you. You must learn to cross barriers-race, culture, socioeconomic, etc. You must be willing to cross the barrier no matter the cost and learn to love the people just as God loves us. In doing so you will receive blessings overflowing from the interaction God allows you to have with people who are different than you.


Second, Oreos are two very different textures. The outer layers are crunchy chocolate cookies that are held together by a creamy vanilla filling. When you go on missions, you travel and live with people who can be totally opposite than you. It is also true when you are in church ministry. Oh, you may attend the same church, go to the same school, come from the same race or socioeconomic backgrounds but you can still get on each other’s nerves. Just like the chocolate cookies of the Oreo has a common bond in they share the creamy vanilla filing, mission teams and Christian church members have a common bond. You have been saved by grace by a loving Savior, so you have the same Heavenly Father.


If you have a mission team going out this summer, let me encourage you to pray for them. If you cannot go with the team, I encourage you to provide a small treat for the team. It does not take much to let them know you are thinking of them. Hey, who knows! Maybe an Oreo can help lead a person to Jesus. As for being the wife of a minister, we can all enjoy a few Oreos in our day to remind us that all Jesus followers have commonality-we are saved by grace.