Scripture: Ezekiel 3:1-4
Moreover He said to me, “Son of man, eat what you find; eat this scroll, and go, speak to the house of Israel.” So I opened my mouth, and He caused me to eat that scroll. And He said to me, “Son of man, feed your belly, and fill your stomach with this scroll that I give you.” So I ate, and it was in my mouth like honey in sweetness. Then He said to me: “Son of man, go to the house of Israel and speak with My words to them.”
We’ve all heard the old saying, “You are what you eat.” According to science, it’s true. When we eat, our bodies pull the nutrients out of the food and feed our cells. Whatever we don’t need is stored for later or expelled as waste. (Not that we needed a biology lesson) but the principle holds for more than our physical nourishment. It holds for our spiritual nourishment too.
Notice the order in these verses. God doesn’t say read the scroll or examine the scroll. He says eat it. Feed your belly. Fill your stomach. Only after Ezekiel has eaten does God say, “Go to the house of Israel and speak with My words to them.” The eating comes first, and the speaking comes second. Ezekiel isn’t sent out with his own ideas or opinions. He’s sent with God’s words, and he can only carry them because they are already inside him.
As small group leaders, we must do more than just read the Word. We must eat the Word.
we must first eat the Word before we speak to the people. We can’t just read it. We need to study it, digest it, and let it get into our hearts and minds, until we become what it says. That can’t happen only when we’re preparing for our groups. It has to be an everyday habit, so that we are full before we ever show up to serve anyone else.
I remember sitting in on a conversation between a young minister and a seasoned evangelist. The young minister asked how he prepared his sermons. The evangelist answered, “I study to feed myself, and I give the people the leftovers.”
That’s how we should lead our small groups. When we’re full, what we give away isn’t scraps. It’s overflow. And what we speak isn’t our own words, but His.
As small group leaders, it's easy to spend our time preparing lessons, choosing discussion questions, and finding the right Scriptures to share with our groups. Those things are important, but we must be careful not to spend so much time preparing to feed others that we neglect our own spiritual nourishment.
Our groups need more than our knowledge of Scripture. They need to see the evidence of God's Word working in us. They need leaders who are growing in grace, walking in obedience, extending forgiveness, demonstrating patience, and living out the truth they teach.
Before we ask, “What am I going to share with my group this week?” we should ask, “Lord, what are You saying to me through Your Word?”
Don't just study the Word to teach it. Study it to live it. Let it challenge you, strengthen you, correct you, and feed your soul. Then, when you gather with your group, you won't simply be sharing information you've prepared; you'll be sharing truth that is already at work in your own life.
Reflection Questions
Am I spending time in God's Word for my own spiritual growth, or primarily to prepare for my group?
What is God teaching me right now that I need to apply to my own life? That I need to share with others?
How might my leadership change if I focused first on being nourished by the Word before feeding others?
