in ancient Israel, the Jewish people followed a very strict set of dietary laws. There are a lot of reasons for these laws, most of them having to do with reminding the Jews that they were separate from other nations and holy. In Acts 10, the apostle Peter has a vision in which he is told that the dietary laws are no longer in effect. There are two huge reasons for this taking place. First, because Jesus fulfilled God’s law and filled the need for holiness a spiritual effort rather than a matter of washings and diets. (This is a really simple version of this explanation.) The second reason for the food laws being removed is because Peter is about to be invited to talk to a non-Jewish fellow named Cornelius. Cornelius was a man who was following the Jewish laws and loved God, but had not reached the point where he was considered Jewish. Peter was about to start telling non-Jewish folks about Jesus, but in the ancient world, this was a difficult prospect for a Jew because they were limited in their ability to interact with
Gentiles due to the cleanliness laws. By doing away with the rules about how food had to be prepared and what meat is allowed to be eaten, Peter could become a part of the lives of those around him. There is a neat truth there that is easy to miss. Effectively investing in the lives of others means spending time with them. When I arrived in Big Sandy, I spent my first several years around Brook and Renee Anderson, who ran the youth and children’s ministries at the church. It was easy to tell that they loved the kids because they spent so much time with them. They shared meals with them, they knew about their families, and they went to sporting events and important school events. Everything they did was aimed at impacting folks by becoming a part of their lives, whether they agreed with their choices or not. They loved folks and invested in them. I often ask myself how the Andersons would approach situations before engaging new people. The answer is almost always: spend time, invite them in, and share your life with them. This approach to the people around me mirrors the one Peter adopted when he was sent to preach to the Gentiles. It is the one that Jesus himself modeled in his ministry. You have to be a part of people’s lives to make an impact. With your kids, this means spending time face to face, having conversations and playing. With your neighbors, it means putting in the time to ask questions and have conversations. With your spouse, it means daily investment of focus, attention, and care. Often times, the practical aspect of ministry is just spending time eating a meal or talking. The other trick is that it often takes years. The folks I have encountered who have made a difference in our town did so over decades. Another individual I admire for their impact on lives in Big Sandy is Father Pete, who spent decades in our community and did God’s work here. Time spent being a part of the lives of the folks around you over the course of years is the master key to making the lives of others better. I’ve also discovered that it’s one of the best things in life.
