Vision To Value

Posted on by Gary Fultz

I said “yes” a couple days ago when our once a month men’s breakfast cook asked me to take his place as he was sick. It’s not a milk and cornflakes kind of deal for our little country church. It’s supposed to be the best breakfast in the region. A “no excuse” kind of breakfast for the hungry as far as the food is concerned. Vision.

The guys put all kinds of money in the donation basket as all of it goes toward helping kids go to summer camp or a weekend winter camp. The kids raise half and they can get a scholarship for the other half. many of the guys will hire any kids needing to raise the rest of the money. If kids have nothing invested, they are more likely to get less out of camp. A life principle truth learned early is a good thing. Vision.

A good 30 to 40 minutes of eating, visiting and story telling round the tables and the rest of the hour one of the guys has been asked to prepare a spiritual challenge or story for the group to chew on. Often many guys stick around awhile to make their own comments before heading to work, back to the farm, maybe the shop or the lake. A few guys stick around and help clean up and make the kitchen look good for the next use. Value.

A long time ago, before moving away 10 years ago, this was men’s breakfast. Now that I have moved back I secretly wonder if the mission of the breakfast has drifted. I wonder if it’s still an entryway for neighbors to be fed physically, socially and spiritually? I wonder if the first Saturday of the month has been cheapened? Any Vision or value?

We often had up to 5 guys cooking and baking. Fresh from scratch and hot is important. One might have pecan and some plain caramel rolls while another has an egg bake loaded with ham or huge sausage pieces and one half is covered in cheese peppers and mushrooms. Someone is making biscuits and another making sausage gravy while stirring the fried potatoes with a pound of bacon pieces and onion. A couple serving people making tables ready with coffee crofts and syrup pitchers. Real plates and nice coffee mugs (actually created for this breakfast) make a statement of value to those being fed. Real coffee is sometimes debated but the guys are reminded they can water coffee down but the gospel will not be watered down here! Vision and value.

This morning I was sad in a way. My suspicions were correct. Our vision had become a program. The 40 guys who used to “own” this vision are mostly gone. I suspected things had changed when I asked what seasonings the men’s breakfast cabinet had on hand, “I’m not sure” prompted my subtly coded question with a picture added “can I bring mine?” (sent picture below).

I waited until the meal ended to ask the one guy helping me who was supposed to have a challenge ready for the guys. He said he was but he probably couldn’t make it through without his voice giving out (just recovered from losing his voice). I asked if it was ok for me to say a few words. “Yes please do”

When I said yes, I weighed the cost. I didn’t know if I would have help so I had the ham diced for the eggs, the onions and bacon sliced and diced to put with the 3/4 baked potatoes which were sliced for american breakfast fries. The biscuits and gravy was made the night before (just heat them up). The Pancakes could be made and kept warm in the oven. If no one showed for giving a spiritual challenge with good stories…I was ready. I actually used 3 blogger stories as illustrations (15 minutes as promised).

There is hope. One of the guys who came was a neighbor. He brought his kids. They loved the food. He liked what was said, He was part of the conversation after and he helped clean up the kitchen just to get to know us. There will be more to come on his part and hopefully on ours.

Work is the word I left out of “Vision to Value” Work is not a culturally fond word even though it’s a necessary ingredient for vision to have any sensible shape. A workable vision (have the best men’s breakfast around) must be worked through to have any value (those eating would agree and come back for more). The cost of saying “Yes” for me would have been way less if I had no vision (you guys are eating corn flakes with milk because I don’t want to work any harder than that).

Perhaps the cost will be greater than I thought since I would like to see 40 guys “owning” this “vision to value” again.

Gary

28 thoughts on “Vision To Value”

  1. There’s something lovely about people working together and enjoying a meal and spiritual encouragement. I can remember days like that too. Perhaps we’re getting lazy, waiting for others to put in all the work.
    Sounds like you’re the man, Gary, to get things back on track. 🙂

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    1. Thanks lesley. Its a great way to develope relationships in so many ways. I’m at the stage with a couple other guys asking God to stir vision within our hearts. Im sure it may need to look different than before. Right now if I row hard the boat will go in circles

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  2. Hey Gary
    This was one of the first things that stood out for me when I learnt about THE LORD and about evangelising: just as HE did, we have to meet a need in people in order to draw them to the kingdom.
    At least feed them and feed them well – biscuits and coffee are not going to attract anyone….
    Also, if the spiritual food is only a bowl of cereal, we might as well leave it and not waste everybody’s time including our own.
    Thank GOD they asked you to come and you understood the assignment and added value to the event again and made it to what it’s supposed to be!!
    And isn’t that what we’re supposed to do, do everything we do unto GOD…?!?!
    Thank GOD for people like you!
    People who do “programs” and corn flakes are not going to change other people’s lives.
    I think you nailed it!!!
    GOD bless you 💕🙏🏻

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    1. Thanks Eva. I think a lot of the guys understand in their head that there could be so much more happening for the same amount of energy put out preparing food and washing dishes. Honestly, God doesn’t honor a program but uses our efforts when committed to his glory. He really wants to go before us, ahead of us and have us follow him. It seems like he gives us vision when we wait on him and just a program when we ask him to join us in our great endeavors.
      I didn’t mean to diss corn flake people, God can even use corn flakes I’m sure.

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    1. Thanks Ted. My slice of the pie in all this labor is really coming from a mentors role which seems to be the vision God has instilled in me. I make a terrible cowboy saving the town and riding into the sunset. God does seem to put me out front, you know…the guy who gets shot at.

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    1. So true GW. An old story comes to mind. Seems a small church pastor was painting the church. he didn’t have enough paint so he kept on thinning the paint. As he was reaching the top of the steeple a voice came out of the clouds…”Frank…Frank.” “Yes Lord’ says Frank. “Repaint…repaint, and thin no more”

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    1. So true David. On the “working” part, I could make it a priority thing and weigh what time I have with what I should be about. I am more at the stage of asking God to take lead in using what little time I have and work where He is working. When Gary says “hey guys, lets do this” it’s closer to 4. When God goes ahead of us a whole lot of unexpected great things happen….which could still be 4 in numbers but the bread and fish get multiplied. I hope that makes sense.

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  6. Hearty Gospel Food makes for Hearty Gospel Men. The Lord’s Spiritual Food makes for Powerfully Strong Disciples who can weather any storm, win any Spiritual battle, and destroy all strongholds erected against the Lord’s Kingdom and His People.

    Hearty Gospel Food is relatively rare in the places it should be abundant. It is now found largely in out of the way and relatively obscure places. It IS abundant and the Lord DOES have many Cooks who assist Him in putting forth massive spreads loaded with Spiritual nutrients.

    We will know them not only by the great Spiritual love they have for one another but also because they are Spiritual MEN as demonstrated by our Great Founder and the Disciples He created.

    From my book, Real Christianity © 2001: “The Church is not only supposed to be loving, kind, and gentle, but also able to kick the corpulent posteriors of demons and take their names.”

    For that the Church needs Hearty Gospel Food.

    Thanks Gary

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    1. Wow, that from 2001 is sure fitting and are timeless words RJ. Jesus often overlapped spiritual and physical perspectives as well as finite and eternal truths. It was not limited to play on words. So much deeper as you have done in your book and your writings now. Hearty gospel food is nutrient to the soul as well as body and like a tree planted by a living river of water the soil is way more than mere sand. It’s as rich as our Father is. He owns it all and is willing to share. So should we be. Thanks.

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  7. Gary, you’re doing some good solid carpentry work in this post as you hit the nail squarely on the head. “Work is the word I left out of “Vision to Value” Work is not a culturally fond word even though it’s a necessary ingredient for vision to have any sensible shape.” I’m concerned that this is the state of many a church. My grandparent’s church, the oldest church in our county, permanently shuttered its doors at the end of the summer. My cousin was an elder and explained the tragic reason why the decision was made. It wasn’t for financial reasons but because the majority of members didn’t want to put the work and commitment into studying the Word and discipling others that would breath life back into the congregation. Kingdom work is some of the hardest to be done but that eternal value makes it all worthwhile. Keep laboring Gary! You are a living example of 1 Corinthians 15:58. I pray the Lord will bring more workers with the value and vision alongside you and that your neighbor returns for more food, physically and spiritually.

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    1. I see it in so many places Beth. Personal lives, unity lacking, churches and organizations tattered at the seams. Yes, work is a key ingredient. Another word even further removed is productivity. Too often when people are very busy working they get nothing done. I’m reminded of a guy at our work place. When told in a review that he would be paid what he was worth immediately responded “Are you kidding me? I couldn’t live on that!” (true story) He actually was a good worker and got more done than most of us. Good thing the CEO knew that.

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      1. That is quite a story Gary! When my 2nd was born, I stepped out of the teaching in the classroom to be a stay at home mom. Another teacher was doing the same. Several years later our paths recrossed. I learned that she had returned to the classroom because being a fulltime mom was just too hard and she jumped at her in-laws offer to provide free daycare. I understood her reasoning, but it made me sad. I leaned into the words of a dear friend that said, “Motherhood is the hardest but most rewarding job you’ll ever have.”

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    2. So very true Beth. Being an active parent is often one sided. Moms tend to do more than dads in our society being the parent. Thankfully I come from a line of people who believe in making sure those roles are covered by one another, mom and dad both present and working together to raise balanced kids. The fruits are astounding as our kids raise their kids and those kids are the envy of many of their friends. I remember a middle school boy who wandered the neighborhood when our kids were young. I befriended him just a little bit. In a short period of time he asked me if I could be his dad…broke my heart. I had a talk with his dad.

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  9. Good post, Gary. Unfortunately, I think a lack of vision is currently seen in many areas. Your repetitive point about “vision” brought to mind a Scripture. “Where there is no vision, the people perish” (Proverbs 29:18a).

    Gary, you’re a Godly man who first counted the cost and worked unto the Lord–a deed of righteousness. I echo Beth’s reference, your labor in the Lord is not in vain. Your actions are a seed planted. It is God who produces an increase. Lord, stir a fresh vision in all your children.

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    1. Thankyou Manette. I do not usually tell fresh stories but like you say, vision has been lacking in so many places or diluted and tempered to fit how much work people are willing to do. You also nailed the fact that vision comes from God going ahead of us and providing the increase. We get to go along for the ride and supply hands and feet with a servant heart in faith.

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  10. Your hearty, top-quality breakfast reminds me of Colossians 3:23–“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord.” We probably wouldn’t serve Jesus cornflakes unless that’s all we had! In addition, you’re mentoring others, Gary, even as you fry the bacon just right, demonstrating not only excellence but also humility in serving and more.

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  11. I suppose those verses from Colossians have been life-verses for me too. In my old Bible, they’re underlined and in the margin I wrote, “including housework!” That was probably in the late ’70s or early ’80s!

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