Pass the Peas Like They Used to Say!

Scripture: Philippians 1:12-14 - Now, brothers and sisters, I want you to know that what has happened to me has actually advanced the gospel, so that it has become known throughout the entire imperial guard, and to everyone else, that my bondage is because I am in Christ. Most of the flock have gained confidence in the LORD from my imprisonment and dare even more to speak the word fearlessly.

Q. "Hey Bobby, why do you like soul food?"
A. "Because it makes me happy!"

"Pass the peas, like we use to say. Pass the peas like we use to say. Pass the peas like we use to say. Pass the peas like we use to say.

Pass 'em then!"

That is the entirety of the lyrics for the still impactful 1972 funk instrumental by the J.B.s, led by Maceo Parker, and produced by James Brown. It is possible some of us even scuffed up a few floors dancing to this popular song.  It certainly carried over to my freshman year at Lincoln University in 1973.  My appetites took a shift, however, and I found myself to favor Smallwood over Funkadelic, Hawkins over Ohio Players, and well, Earth, Wind, and Fire lingered a bit. But my shift had begun, and I found myself increasingly in the company of churched young adults, most of us maintaining one foot in the world, and the curriculum, and the other foot in the tradition of our churched upbringing, with Jesus showing up in unplanned ways within the events, student body, and the faculty. Sanctification can look mighty odd on a secular college campus, but probably no odder than first-century Galilee.

Jesus brings the jazz. [and 'til He brings it, it ain't brung!]

Now, "Pass the Peas" is a jazz term where a lead-soloist emerges from the background to momentarily showcase their talent and their instrument, to then pass on the lead like a baton, to the next solo-leader within the circle, until all have had their time to shine, with everyone continuing to seamlessly back-up each other until the piece was done.

When the blending of all pieces and parts permits the highest expression of one and all, across the delicate and indelicate moments, across the known and the unanticipated, and within the mundane  and the fantastical, we then have the hope of jazz, utter artistry wed with the incursion of quantifiable mechanics... curves meeting angles... rest meeting reach, and the modest meeting the most: In  jazz, we have the fluid wed with the inflexible, the rhythmic coupled with the chaotic, the meditative mixed with the muscular, even the heavenly bumping into the earthy- all perpetually set to reaching upon the dreamt of, and the done:

Jesus brings the jazz. [and 'til He brings it, it ain't brung!] And no wonder- He is our kinsman-redeemer, very God and very man. If in our being, and believing there are 'peas' to be passed- how might these 'peas' be?


While personally not so enthused about peas for any given plate [Thanksgiving Day here] there are some peas to be passed, rather some 'P's worth lifting up even as Jesus and those following Him had...
PAUSE with Thanksgiving [In everything give thanks], PROCLAIM with Truth [the truth shall set you free], PRAY with trust [the effectual and fervent prayer of the righteous availeth much], PREVAIL within Temptation [walk in the Spirit and do not fulfill the lusts of the flesh], PURSUE with Tenacity [work out your soul's salvation with fear and with trembling], PRESS withstanding Trouble [for I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared to the glory which shall be revealed in us] and PUSH within Time [I press for the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus]-
PERSEVERE with the PERFECTING PREFERENCE of PARTNERSHIP  with GOD and HIS, daily PRACTICING HIS PRESENCE, HIS SPIRIT to guide, and HIS WORD, your holy grounding upon which to stand, and a wellspring with which to sup, making brightness with Light and faithfulness through the power of Love!

Pass the 'P's, as they use to say... and Lord Jesus, bring the 'jazz'.
The PEACE of GOD be with us, one and all.

Prayer:  Thank You, LORD, for this moment of mercy, and for your boundless heavenly grace which has put PRAISE upon this natural heart, to its discovering of such as PROFITABLE for the soul, enriching me with Your unfailing Love, suitable for a fertile hope inclined toward your eternal promises.  And with the PAUSE that You have given, letting me dwell on the knowing of Your nearness, let me with PATIENCE, deeply PRAY, and PROTECT the gift of time, and being so immersed, find myself refreshed, and revived unto Your PLEASING. Help me to PROTECT that given me, which is sacred, and PURPOSE to enlarge the meager meant to be more, for Your glory, having the POWER to do so, come of naught but grace. I pray to be PRUDENT in Your sight, and in the light of Your PROMISE, faithful, as You have been faithful to me.
I pray, of my tendencies, such as contrition, bringing me wings, and of Thy Spirit, the breath to confess as I ought in all humility, to have of Thee, mine own flight. Hallelujah!
And should the moment at hand permit me such as wonder, I pray Your clarity to reveal what You've chosen to love, that my own gaze, find itself yielded, and in agreement- to love as You would, and to forgive as You have, and to redeem the time of marveling with such as good deeds, which bring blessing, reconciliation, gladness, and healing, and yes, even the seeds of salvation.
O' LORD, lead this soul to find, both of rest, as well as of reach, Your PERFECTING, upon 'THY WILL BE DONE', giving it PRIORITY, with all living.
Let the conversation of my spirit incline to be as Thine. In this, I say, Amen. In this, I say, "Pass the 'P's".

(by Dr. McNeal and Debora Brockington)