Cast iron skillet

I learned a lot of valuable lessons as a child. Some of them included not sticking my finger in a light socket, always being sure to wear clean underwear, never talking back to my mother, “righty-tighty” and “lefty-loosey,” never drinking from dad’s tea glass, and making sure the cast iron cornbread pan is only ever used for cornbread. 

This last one may surprise you, but that is really sound advice if you take your cast iron and your cornbread seriously. It makes sense that this practical advice makes the list, because some things only get better with age.

Why in the world do I even share these family life trivia facts with you? I want you to focus on the beauty of that seasoned cast iron skillet. It encourages us with a life principle that Paul modeled in Acts 18:5. Like a skillet that gets better with age, our tenacity and passion for the Gospel should increase over time.

For Paul, we read of him feverishly and fervently preaching the Gospel in Acts 18. This was after decades of labor-intensive ministry and even abuse. He was faithful to testify to the goodness of Christ, and the original tense of the Greek word used in the verse implies that his preaching grew in intensity. It got better with time!

As believers, we must stand against the cultural tendency to rely on emotions and be renewed with purpose for the sake of the Gospel. Reflect on the goodness of God and the provision of His saving grace in your life. Be reminded of the desperate need for the grace and mercy of God in our world today and our responsibility to be an expression of His grace to our world.

Like Paul, we should be maturing in our understanding of the Gospel. A glance at our world should offer a strong and compelling reason why we should be more fervent than ever to share the Good News and tell the story of Jesus and His love.