11 months ago I was in Haiti and my team was with Tikvah, another team, living with orphans. There was a little miscommunication about some financial things which I really don’t need to get into, but in the end I had been challenged with a valuable lesson.
THERE IS NO FREE LUNCH…that’s one of the primary rules of economics and yet it’s not always true. It would be much more comfortable for most humans if there wasn’t a free lunch. It’s almost funny how it’s so hard for humans to accept gifts with no strings attached. Often times we are cynical about the “catch” and feel like if it’s too good to be true than it probably is. You know what? Most of the time I would agree with you…except there’s this God Man named Jesus who offered a gift of freedom that keeps freeing with a living water that keeps refreshing.
The other night while on the streets of Atlanta, a houseless man came to our group and started talking to us. He was obviously hungry and alone. Yet, he still wanted to drive home the point with us that he and other houseless people had dignity. He wouldn’t accept the food we had to offer because he wanted to hold onto enough dignity to choose what he was going to eat and drink. We ran into this man a couple times and shared conversations, laughs and love…but he still went away hungry at the end of the night.Thinking about this man had reminded me of Haiti. While in Haiti, our groups found ourselves trying to balance how much blessing we were going to choose to receive. I want you to read that last sentence again. Seriously, how often do we really think of that choice as a luxury? I often times have the luxury of choosing how much I will serve and how much I will be served. I often have the luxury of choosing how much I will bless and how much I will accept blessing. I often have the luxury of choosing! So do you. So did that houseless man on the streets of Atlanta!
There comes a point in time in some peoples lives where they are truly hungry and desperate enough for something to satisfy them that they don’t care what it looks like or tastes like. Think of Haiti today. I’m positive that most of the nation wouldn’t turn down a free meal, free water or clothes.
We’re not all that different spiritually. We are in need of His life, refreshment and freedom but we often try to balance and choose how much of it to accept. Part of us wants to pay part of the price through good works. Others feel more comfortable paying that price through pain, shame, weight and other burdens. Did you just read that? Isn’t that crazy? We’re often like the houseless man in Atlanta who understands that he’s hungry but wants to pick and choose what to eat. Are we picky like that with God? What things are we willing to take as a blessing from Hm and what things of Him do we have too much dignity and pride to do or say?
I tell you the truth that those who hunger and thirst for righteousness WILL be satisfied. Those who drink of His living water will be 
refreshed and will refresh others. The question is how hungry are we?…OR do you still cling to the luxury of choosing when and how much you will be blessed/be a blessing?
refreshed and will refresh others. The question is how hungry are we?…OR do you still cling to the luxury of choosing when and how much you will be blessed/be a blessing?
Do you have the illusion that you are in enough control to keep that luxury? Wouldn’t you rather be satisfied by someone that will? He’s waiting with a passionate pursuit that’s already paid for and free to you if you only recognize your hunger for it!
Hungry? Why Wait?
