"What are you hungry for? My friend wanted to know what I wanted for dinner.
"Crispy fried chicken. Cajun fries. Dirty rice. Sweat tea. And banana pudding!"
Man, I was craving Bo-jangles.
"It's Bo-time!"
My friend, clearly not as excited about the Bo-box, had another idea.
"What about quinoa with grilled avocado and black beans with lime cilantro, curried lentil stew, and risotto?" he asked.
"We can even top if off with silken tofu chocolate pie!"
"Doesn't that sound good?"
Honestly, I thought, it didn't sound good at all. But I didn't say it.
My friend is healthier, more fit, more energetic, even smarter than I am. It works for him, so I agreed.
This reminds me of life. We are so often "hungry" for stuff in life that isn't good for us, immature stuff, destructive stuff.
Imagine someone asking you,"what are you hungry for in life?"
You respond, "I'm hungry for success, more money, popularity, fame, good times, pleasure, etc."
When you finish, she replies, "I'm hungry for: world peace, to see Haiti rebuilt, homelessness and poverty eradicated, and all people saved by Jesus Christ."
You'd feel like a grown adult confessing he doesn't eat vegetables, or anything chunky.
Jesus says if you want to be fulfilled and happy, you have to hunger and thirst for righteousness (Matthew 5:6).
In other words you have to deeply hunger and labor for God and the things of God: love, justice, mercy, forgiveness, peace.
He wants our hungers to be more mature.
The Bible invites us to "Taste and see that the Lord is good...." (Psalm 34:8a, NIV)
But God-stuff is an acquired taste. Sacrifice. Service. Worshipping. Hard work. Humility. That isn't sweat tea stuff.
Our taste buds will have to grow up. We will have try stuff and learn to like stuff that God likes, the good stuff. We will have to give up stuff that tastes good but isn't.
It's not easy, but it's better for you. You'll be more satisfied and happier. You'll be stronger, healthier, more alive.
Come taste and see for your self.
See you Sunday.
Pastor David Gira
