Mrs. Jessie was a widowed grandmother living in a small South Carolina town. She was not well-known in political or social circles, but I am certain she was well-known among angelic hosts throughout the heavens. You see, Mrs. Jessie was a fruit bearing disciple who lived to glorify God. Remember the words of Jesus in John 15:8? “In this is My Father glorified; that you bear much fruit and so prove to be My disciples.” If there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels over one sinner who repents and comes to Jesus, then Mrs. Jessie was the inspiration for many heavenly parties. What was her secret? She found something she did very well, and she used it to point others to Jesus. It all started with her grandson. Being a high school football player, he needed to stoke up on carbs for those dreaded two-a-day late summer practices. What better place to do that than in grandma’s kitchen. An early morning high carbohydrate breakfast energizes players for those intense workouts. Soon the grandson was inviting other players to join him at grandma’s place. Starters and reserves, black and white, they all gravitated toward Mrs. Jessie’s kitchen for early morning meals and mid-afternoon snacks. Of greater importance were those stove side conversations with the boys. Young men, some of whom came from fractured families, were raising questions about moral and spiritual issues. With a wisdom from heaven and a gracious Christlike patience, Mrs. Jessie offered a consistent, loving witness to the sufficiency of Jesus, the relevance of the Bible, and the power of the Holy Spirit.
Since then, many of those young men have confessed their faith in Christ Jesus. They would be quick to tell you that the most influential person in their walk of faith was not a preacher, evangelist, or coach, but Mrs. Jessie. She was a simple faithful grandmother who found a strength, her ability to cook, and used it to build the Kingdom of God.
That is all God asks from any of us. We are each unique with our gifts, talents, skills, experiences, and passions. I like the way the Living Bible paraphrases Romans 12:6 – “God has given each of us the ability to do certain things well.” Do not waste time comparing yourself to anyone else. Do not waste time wishing you had the talents or skills of someone else. Find out what you do well, fuel that passion, and surrender it for God’s use. Whatever skills you possess can be spiritual weapons that God can use as effectively as any sermon or sacred singing. Mrs. Jessie’s kitchen is proof of that!
