05 Mar Hungry For Community
It’s one thing to change your diet, it’s another thing to change your heart. Throughout this experience, we’ll be reflecting on scripture and exploring our deepest hungers and how they can be most truly satisfied. We pray that they give you a taste of the spiritual significance behind Rice & Beans Month, and that you receive generous portions of God’s love and grace.
We must always give thanks to God for you, brothers and sisters, as is right, because your faith is growing abundantly, and the love of everyone of you for one another is increasing. (II Thessalonians 1:3)
“I belong here.” Whether referring to a family, a classroom, a culture, or a friendship, our hearts desperately want to say these words. God created us to seek out a sense of belonging. It is one way we reflect the image of a Triune God who is the perfect picture of interwoven relationship.
Rice and beans taste best in community. We intentionally come together to share this common meal because it satisfies our hunger for relationship, and helps us find a sense of solidarity which extends far beyond our tables. These simple, nutritious foods are mainstays in many cultures around the world. Choosing them gives us a taste of what life is like for countless vulnerable people whose diets lack the abundance and variety we often take for granted.
Solidarity is a central theme of Rice & Beans Month, but why? There’s a clue in the verse above. Growing in faith and increasing in love tend to go together. We are seeking to expand our experience of loving God and loving our neighbor. We are allowing the hardships others face to change our lives, too. The community we long for is being built around our tables, and before we know it, we find it reaches around the world.
Reflection Questions:
Who will you share a meal of Rice & Beans with this month?
How can you use this experience to deepen your faith and your sense of community?
Hungry for more? Check out our devotional book called A Common Meal. Full of daily devotions for adults and kids, inspiring stories, and simple recipes—it’s a great way to enrich and deepen your Rice & Beans Month experience.