Could Spirituality be Spicy?
At the Welcome Fair, students walked up to the table and saw an array of spicy foods: Flamin' hot cheetos, little hot sauce packets, atomic fire balls. Some were shocked, some excited. As they walked up we asked "Do you like spicy food?". Often, they responded with an enthusiastic "Yes!" or an emphatic "No!", with few in between. Whether or not they enjoyed spicy snacks, I would say "We're InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, and we believe your spiritual life could be spicy". Following this, they might laugh and start talking about their own spiritual lives, but others responded differently.
One conversation with a student went like this:
Me: Do you think spirituality could be spicy?
Student: Hmm... I've never thought of spirituality like that.
[by this point he's looking like he's trying not to offend me]
Me: Why not? How do you think of it?
Student: I always kind of thought of it as...boring.
I think this is a pretty common idea of faith, bible studies, and our spiritual lives as a whole. Sometimes when we try to imagine particularly spiritual people it might evoke a vision of someone studious, engulfed in hours of silence, who's too busy being "spiritual" to laugh or play. I think this is the picture most students have when they get invited to a small group. Little do they know, choosing a spiritual life with Jesus can be so spicy (so enthralling and full) that even quiet contemplation can be life changing. I told this student and others that choosing to follow Jesus has been the spiciest thing I've ever done, and that my spirituality is full of flavor and life!
When I say spicy I mean full of life, excitement, joy and depth. The kind of faith that moves you to do bold things, meet new people, and go to new places. Spiritually spicy people laugh, play, question, throw parties, and have quiet times. All together, they live a life that is full. This year, I hope students say yes to the spicy spirituality that God has offered them.
One conversation with a student went like this:
Me: Do you think spirituality could be spicy?
Student: Hmm... I've never thought of spirituality like that.
[by this point he's looking like he's trying not to offend me]
Me: Why not? How do you think of it?
Student: I always kind of thought of it as...boring.
I think this is a pretty common idea of faith, bible studies, and our spiritual lives as a whole. Sometimes when we try to imagine particularly spiritual people it might evoke a vision of someone studious, engulfed in hours of silence, who's too busy being "spiritual" to laugh or play. I think this is the picture most students have when they get invited to a small group. Little do they know, choosing a spiritual life with Jesus can be so spicy (so enthralling and full) that even quiet contemplation can be life changing. I told this student and others that choosing to follow Jesus has been the spiciest thing I've ever done, and that my spirituality is full of flavor and life!
When I say spicy I mean full of life, excitement, joy and depth. The kind of faith that moves you to do bold things, meet new people, and go to new places. Spiritually spicy people laugh, play, question, throw parties, and have quiet times. All together, they live a life that is full. This year, I hope students say yes to the spicy spirituality that God has offered them.
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