When you get your food at a restaurant, do you sometimes want everyone at the table to try it? I know, some people like to share food more than others. Scott and I share bites almost every time we eat out somewhere new. I find myself saying, “You have to try this.” Scott of course will do the same. It isn’t because we don’t want to eat what we ordered. It is because the food is amazing, and we want each other to taste it and enjoy.
Shouldn’t we feel the same about our experience with Jesus. Most of you reading this blog, have experienced what it is like to be with Jesus. You have experienced what it is like to feel His peace in the midst of a crisis. You know what it is like to see Him miraculously meet your financial need. You remember a time when He made the impossible happen. If we know and have experienced something this wonderful, why do we not passionately share it with others? For me, I personally want my friends to know and understand how peaceful it is trusting that God has a plan for my life. I want them to know that they can rest with Him. We don’t have to figure this world out on our own.
In John chapter four, Jesus meets up with a woman at a well. After their conversation she goes running back to town telling everyone about what she just experienced. She isn’t keeping this life changing event to herself. She is telling everyone she knows. Verse 39 states, “Many of the Samaritans from the town believed in Him because of the woman’s testimony.”
If you know Jesus, you have something to share and tell others. You should be actively looking for ways to tell others about what you have. Make a list of times God has been there for you. Write down what He did that others need to know. Then like the woman at the well, tell anyone you can when God gives you the opportunity to do so.
I do want to point out one major difference between sharing food and sharing Jesus. When sharing your food, there is a limited supply. By sharing with others at the table, you give up what would be yours. This isn’t the case with Jesus. Telling others about Jesus and sharing your faith, does not take away anything from you. Jesus’ love, forgiveness, grace… is unlimited. Share it!
I’m embarrassed to tell this story, but this weekend I made a cooking mistake you would expect a 12 year old to make, but not someone who has been putting food on the table for MANY years. I was making macaroni and cheese with my mind on a million other tasks. Right before I put the last cheese in, I thought the pasta had a different smell to it and immediately realized what I had done. I used sweetened condensed milk instead of evaporated milk. I had no idea how this was going to turn out, but went on as planned. We dubbed it dessert mac and cheese. While the concoction was edible, it was really rich and a few bites went a long ways.
How is it that what used to bring us joy and pleasure can over time be taken for granted or even more strangely turn in to an annoyance that grates on our last nerve?
This Thanksgiving has been both wonderful and heartbreaking at the same time. For those of you that don’t know, 5 years ago, within six weeks, the three most important men in my life (at that time) passed away and rocked my “Polly Anna” world. First my husband of 27 years died at the age of 48. A few weeks later, my uncle whom I adored and admired passed away and then in the next month, my father unexpectedly passed away. For years, we had the best holidays ever. We all gathered at my Grandma’s and cooked, ate, hunted, played games, ate some more, laughed… They were the best of times. Everyone I loved was always there.
Okay, don’t judge, but I’m still reading on the book that I referenced several months ago. It is a 28 day study of the Lord’s prayer. Yes, I’m going on about 4 months working on this study. This is partly because I have read some sections a couple of times, partly because I’ve set the book aside for days at a time, and partly because I have to divide up what I am to read each day. Anyway, I’m to the part of the study pertaining to the line “Forgive our sins as we forgive those that trespass against us” As I read this chapter, I arrogantly began to make a mental list of all the people I have forgiven. I was reminded of how I had been treated at various times in my life, how God had been faithful through those times, and how I was better off by going through those experiences despite what others had done to me. After several minutes of patting myself on the back, I put the study aside for the night and went to bed.
On this little weekend trip that Scott and I took a couple of weeks ago, one particular night we ate at a local restaurant known not only for the amazing food, but more so for the quantity of food. We left the restaurant miserable. As we were driving back to the hotel, I mentioned that I needed to go walk or something in order to feel better. This came up in conversation right as we passed a Wal-mart. Scott suggested we just go walk around the store until we felt better. This idea was genius and one reason why I keep him around. As we were getting out of the car, I was focused on a meaningful walk through the aisles of Wal-mart. I described to Scott how we would attack the store one aisle at a time at a strong walking pace. I left my purse in the car, cued up my watch to track our steps, and began marching off our plan. About isle two, the distractions started. We were pacing through the pharmacy section when I remembered we were about out of toothpaste. I was able to grab the toothpaste without hardly slowing down. Unfortunately, that was just the beginning of the distractions. We spent several minutes picking out a magazine. The kitchen gadget isle was extremely captivating. I’m too embarrassed to tell you how much time we spent in the Christmas section. By then, our pace and plan were gone and in reality, our hands were too full from the random items we were carrying to walk anyway. While our little walk did help, it also cost us over $60. to get out of the store. Thank goodness at least Scott had his wallet. The second reason I keep him around.
View From My Shoes 