Brownie or Cake Mix

1 Corinthians 12:12-13
Today's devotion idea came as I was preparing some delicious brownies and struggling to make some ingredient substitutions based on what I had on hand.
It takes all kinds of people to make up the body of Christ, just as it takes an interesting assortment of items to make baked goods. We may not agree or get along with all of them, but each person brings something to the mix. We can't pick and choose who should be in the body anymore than we can choose to eliminate something from the cake mix. Everything is needed to make the final masterpiece. As hard as it may be it is important that all who come through the church doors be made to feel welcome and accepted. The church should not be some exclusive club, like in childhood when you would hang the sign that said "No Girls Allowed" or "No Boys Allowed" on the door. In Christ's community all are invited. Jesus didn't tell his followers to make disciples of a select few, he said to make disciples of all nations. We must have our doors open wide and be prepared for whoever he Lord may send through them. He had a heart for everyone and died for the whole world. As we head for church let us be looking for the newcomers God sends our way and make sure they feel like the special child of God that they are. That kind of feeling will cause many people to flock to us, increasing the Kingdom and our witness to those around us.
^"The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. ¹³For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink (NIV)."

The Christian song to go with today's devotion is "If We Are the Body" by Casting Crowns.