Thursday, September 29, 2005
Let's Eat
Jim sat in his favorite recliner, a warm plate of scrambled eggs, toast, and hashbrowns on the table beside him and a newspaper in his lap. He rifled through the paper, finally settling on the arts and entertainment section. His eyes eagerly scanned the pages for the review of the west end's newest restaurant, Jean Claude's.
Jim's wife Penny entered the room and sat on the overstuffed sofa across from him."Is that the review?"
"Yep."
"How does it look?"
"Looks good. Real good."
"What does it say?"
"It says the food was supurb, the presentation top-notch, and the atmosphere fantastic."
"So, what do you say? You want me to call and make a reservation? I know it'll be a while, but if I call today, we can get in as early as possible."
"Nah."
"Why not?"
"You know that Brad Allen who writes the reviews?"
"Yeah?"
"Well, he wrote about his meal with such passion that it's as if I've already eaten. In fact, I'm so full, I think I'll skip breakfast this morning." With that, Jim picked up his still-full plate, strode into the kitchen, and dumped the plate's contents down the disposal, chasing it with a stream of water.
Walking back into the living room, Jim glanced at Penny who still had a confused look on her face.
"What?" he asked.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"How does it look?"
"Looks good. Real good."
"What does it say?"
"It says the food was supurb, the presentation top-notch, and the atmosphere fantastic."
"So, what do you say? You want me to call and make a reservation? I know it'll be a while, but if I call today, we can get in as early as possible."
"Nah."
"Why not?"
"You know that Brad Allen who writes the reviews?"
"Yeah?"
"Well, he wrote about his meal with such passion that it's as if I've already eaten. In fact, I'm so full, I think I'll skip breakfast this morning." With that, Jim picked up his still-full plate, strode into the kitchen, and dumped the plate's contents down the disposal, chasing it with a stream of water.
Walking back into the living room, Jim glanced at Penny who still had a confused look on her face.
"What?" he asked.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Christianity is full of Jims. A great many people are content to go to church for their spiritual meal without "eating" during the week. They are satisfied to listen to someone who has tasted and digested a meal for him- or herself describe it. Were we to eat one meal a week or, worse still, simply listen to someone else tell about a meal he or she has eaten, we wouldn't survive long. And certainly our spiritual health is of at least as much importance as our physical health.
In Acts 17:11, the apostle Paul spoke highly of the people of Berea on this matter. He commended them for their spiritual hunger, that they not only "received the word [of God] with all readienss of heart, [but that they] searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so." This is what God wants for us as well. We have been invited to "taste and see that the Lord is good" (Ps. 34:8) and are told that "man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God" (Matt. 4:4).
Jesus also said that He was the Bread of Life (Jn. 6:35) and that we should ask our Heavenly Father to give us our daily bread (Matt. 6:11).
Hungry yet? Let's eat.
In Acts 17:11, the apostle Paul spoke highly of the people of Berea on this matter. He commended them for their spiritual hunger, that they not only "received the word [of God] with all readienss of heart, [but that they] searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so." This is what God wants for us as well. We have been invited to "taste and see that the Lord is good" (Ps. 34:8) and are told that "man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God" (Matt. 4:4).
Jesus also said that He was the Bread of Life (Jn. 6:35) and that we should ask our Heavenly Father to give us our daily bread (Matt. 6:11).
Hungry yet? Let's eat.
Labels: Bereans, Let's Eat, modern parable, spiritual food
Post a Comment