One little word can change the course of a day. Sometimes that word is taco. Especially if it’s a Tuesday.’’
I don’t know who came up with the concept of Taco Tuesday, but that person holds a special place in my heartburn. I mean heart.
Never mind any heartburn, and never mind that some may whine about the way a taco shell explodes a bite or two in. First, I say, Tums. And then I mention that if a taco crumbles onto a plate, we can always just rebrand it. Taco salad. Then again, why haven’t we tried gluing broken tacos back together with melted cheese? Also, I should probably buy extra cheese. Just in queso.
Relatedly, did I mention I want my next car to be a taco truck? Then not only is every day Tuesday, but every hour is pretty much taco o’clock.
Some days are made for that special, taco kind of encouragement. We have opportunities almost every day to build a positive change in someone’s life word by word, layer by layer—like building the tastiest taco. Paul teaches in Ephesians 4:29 that “No foul language should come from your mouth, but only what is good for building up someone in need so that it gives grace to those who hear” (CSB). “Building up,” he says, and then he reminds us we do that with grace.
We see it again in Romans 15:2. “Each one of us is to please his neighbor for his good, to build him up” (CSB). Again in 1 Thessalonians 5:11, we’re instructed to “encourage one another and build each other up” (CSB). So many passages remind us to build love with specially seasoned grace-words and with our grace-actions.
Though it’s our calling to live as gracious encouragers, I admit it can be challenging. Because people can be challenging. The secret salsa sauce for success is found in the God who empowers. If we look a little further into that Romans 15 passage, we find this: “Now may the God who gives endurance and encouragement grant you to live in harmony with one another, according to Christ Jesus, so that you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ with one mind and one voice” (verses 5-6 CSB).
If allowing others to hold those special places in our hearts with “one mind and one voice” were easy-peasy-cheesy, we wouldn’t really need to rely on Jesus to make it happen, right?
So much of Scripture is dedicated to inspiring us to lean into Him, and to live and love this way.
As Jesus is teaching us to stay connected to Him like the branch to the vine in John 15, and to receive strength, nourishment, power, and enabling from Him, He reminds us again and again to love each other.
“This is my command: Love one another as I have loved you” (verse 12 CSB). “This is what I command you: Love one another” (verse 17 CSB).
Whatever the love language of others, whatever our own love language, it’s His desire that we show grace-seasoned love. We can do it—with, by, and through the Savior who is the source of all grace.
And if I could wrap up, burrito-style, with one more little taco thought. People sometimes ask about my love language. Others want to know my Taco Bueno order. They’re probably related. … Potato/tostado.
Rhonda Rhea is an author, humor columnist, and TV personality. Her newest release with co-authors Monica Schmelter and Kaley Rhea, Messy to Meaningful—My Purse RunnethOver is available now.
