Harvest Of Talents

Soup. That is one of my very first thoughts when it comes to The Harvest Of Talents. That may sound crazy, but stay with me here... I love to eat. I love just about any kind of food I've ever met. But I'm talking about real food, not the gourmet-three-asparagus-on-a-fancy-plate-with-half-a-lemon food. Not food-like substances either; processed, modified, artificially flavored red #40. I mean food to fill your eyes with color, your nose with desire, mouth with variety, and your belly with love. Harvest Soup is just that. Several aspects make this the best of The Harvest for me. So here's my two point mini-sermon!

1. Together, the Impossible becomes Delicious. It is unbelievably impossible for me to recreate that soup. I do not own a caldron, I never have that many vegetables on hand at one time to use for one dish, and I would never be able to afford that much. However, I can bring a bag of carrots and some onions. Even some homegrown garlic! What will you bring? Celery? Tomatoes? When we each bring a sacrifice, something amazing starts to happen. Flavors blend and become richer. Everything about Harvest of Talents is in this idea "the whole is greater than the sum of its parts" Our individual offerings come together to make a beautifully varied and desriable event for our church and community that spreads around the world. A global reach like that would be impossible on my own.

2. An Ironic Reminder. This idea is easy to word, but much harder to swallow. Every year I look forward to savoring that steaming bowl of soup, but every bite is a reminder that people are dying daily from starvation. People are dying without having heard of Jesus. I know the money we raise will not be enough to end world hunger nor save every soul. It will save some. It will tell some of God's love.

After all this talk, I am really craving that Harvest soup now. This is not random ingredients artfully arranged, nor is it a science experiment claiming to be food. This soup is mouth-watering, soul-satisfying, and God-glorifying.