In the 1950's sociologist, Abraham Maslow designed a triangle chart he called the "Hierarchy of Needs." In his theory he identifies that people will not be able to concentrate on any of the higher areas of the triangle without first fulfilling the needs of the lower parts. In other words, before you can begin to feel real belonging in an area of your life, you must first feel safe and secure. And before you can worry about safety you must first worry about the requirements of life; food, water, and air.
Food is one of those things in life that we absolutely must have. Oh, we can survive a few weeks without it, but to last longer than that, we need food. When we are well fed, and have an abundance of food in our cupboards, and have the resources to buy whatever we might like to eat, then food doesn’t seem so much of a focus. But when we have limited resources and not much in the cupboard then food takes on a whole new importance in our day. I often hear the stories of people who have lost a job, or are traveling through our area and are in need of a meal. When you are hungry... nothing else matters. Every thought you have is about getting the next meal.
You know, no one has ever stopped by my office or called me on the phone to tell me they were traveling through our area and felt spiritually hungry and could I give them a bit of spiritual food to get them through their day. But that is exactly what Jesus wants us to do. Listen to ...
Scripture
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
This short verse comes from what we call the Beatitudes and talks about seeking God. This morning, I urge you make an intentional decision to be different as a result of being with God today. I want you to pay close attention with the idea of finding something that you can take away from here that will enhance your relationship with God.
You see, God does not want us to be satisfied with our spiritual life being just so so; God gave us taste buds on our tongues and gave foods a variety of flavors so that we could truly enjoy the activity of eating. He made us so we have to eat; but he also made eating enjoyable. He has given us spiritual taste buds, too, so that we can enjoy being filled with His goodness. But we cannot encounter the complete enjoyment of our palates if we have a set menu of Taco Bell burritos.
Now I happen to like Taco Bell burritos and could eat them many times a week. Jayna, on the other hand, would rather leave Taco Bell for those times when there are absolutely no other choices. But if I did eat burritos every day I would be shorting myself on the needed nutrients that come from other foods. It would not be a healthy diet.
In the same way, if I limit my spiritual diet to only one or two items, then I soon become spiritually malnourished. To be satisfied with only the spiritual food I get from a Sunday morning service is to be existing on a steady diet of the same old thing. It is not a healthy spiritual diet.
When we are very young we tend to ignore the vegetables on our plate in favor of the dessert. In the same way, when we are spiritually young and immature in our faith then we tend to ignore the things that are good for us in favor of the things that make us feel good. I believe this is why preaching that ‘tickles the ears’ as Paul calls it is to offer only spiritual desserts. Lessons that make us feel good are not good if they are the steady diet.
Lessons that cause us to think and that pulls us along to places God wants us to go; even if we go kicking and screaming, are good for us. These lessons might be the spiritual carrots on the plate. They may not always taste so good, but they are good for us.
Like I said before, there are times when we can go for the dessert; the cake. That which tastes good. Our spiritual dessert might well be a lesson or sermon or Bible study that reminds us how blessed we are by God, or makes us feel good to know that God loves us. In those times we can relax and enjoy the dessert; even eat slowly and savor every bite.
But, like it or not, we have to eat the spiritual vegetables, too. Our spiritual well being counts on it in the same way our physical bodies count on having the nutrients that come from carrots and spinach and broccoli.
We NEED a balanced spiritual diet that includes a variety of lessons; spiritual meat, vegetables, bread, milk, and even dessert.
One of those desserts that tastes good to our spirit is righteousness. There is nothing quite like the feeling we get in knowing that we are doing what is right. It’s a deep sense of satisfaction, of peacefulness, of calmness; having done something righteous.
But doing something righteous doesn’t just happen by accident. It takes
There is a story about a farm family living during a time of extreme drought. Other farm families in the valley had already lost everything to the lack of water. Rationing was forced on the people and this particular family was still just barely hanging on. But if it didn’t rain soon, they would go the way of so many others.
This family had a young boy who had already gotten into trouble a couple of times for playing in the hose. The father had actually shut the water off to the spigot to keep it from happening again.
One afternoon, as the mother was working in the kitchen she noticed her son walking very intently toward the edge of the woods beyond the barn. Guided steps and determined. He disappeared around the back of the barn.
A few moments later he reappeared running toward the house. The mother figured whatever it was he was doing it must be done now and he was off to a new adventure. But within a few moments she noticed again that he was walking with the same slow, determined steps as before... so she followed him. Not close enough for him to notice, but just so she could see what he was up to.
As she quietly and slowly moved into the woods she saw an amazing site.
When the fawn lapped up the last of the water the boy ran back to the house, to the spigot that had been shut off... he was catching the few drops that were falling from it in his hands and taking it to that thirsty fawn.
To that fawn, the fear of humans was overcome by the need for water. That fawn was dying of thirst and whatever danger the boy represented didn’t matter... only the water mattered.
Not only was that boy serving as an example of doing something righteous, and he AND his mother were enjoying the taste of that spiritual dessert, but the fawn serves as an example, too, of what it means to thirst after something.
When we "HUNGER or THIRST" for righteousness then we are focused on making right decisions all day long. It doesn’t just happen, we must be focused on continually turning away from the unrighteous and deciding to do what is right. You go after righteousness like that deer went after the few sips of water the boy provided. Nothing else matters.
How do we do that? By not participating in put downs and jokes about people, by turning off the TV when a show comes on that makes a mockery of godly values, by refusing to listen to gossip; and don’t be fooled by a need to be polite; actually refuse to listen. These are ways to turn away from unrighteousness. Then fill the hunger by being obedient to the things of God; by listening to Christian music, reading uplifting books and magazines,
seeking God in times of prayer and study, and coming to worship knowing you are going to be together with other church family members in an effort to lift praises to God.
When we come to God with a hunger and thirst after the things God has for us, then we are growing in His ways and becoming the person He wants us to be. God does not want us to be satisfied with a so so spiritual diet of only cake. He sometimes has to discipline us and make us sit at the table until every last bite of carrots is eaten.
Thorwaldsen, a sculptor who lived in the early 1800's, worked long and with great enthusiasm upon his statue of the Christ; but when at last it was completed, a deep sadness settled over him. When asked the reason for this, he replied, "This is the first of my works with which I have ever felt satisfied. Till now my ideal has always been far beyond what I could execute; but it is no longer so. I shall never have a great idea again." Satisfaction with his work was to him the sure indication that he had reached his best achievement. He would grow no more, because there was no longing in his soul for anything better. He recognized this, and as a result his heart was filled with pain.
This law applies to every area of our lives. Hunger is a mark of health, and the lack of appetite indicates disease. The lack of desire for knowledge shows that intellectual growth has ended. It’s the same in our spiritual lives, as well, hungering after God is a sure sign of spiritual health.
Conclusion
Spiritual balanced meals contain both carrots and cake. The vegetables may not taste as good as the desserts but both are necessary for spiritual well being. Hunger is what drives us to eat. The question for us today becomes one of inner examination... are you hungry for God? Do you thirst after righteousness? Or are you satisfied to be a so so Christian?
There was a small fawn laying in the woods, barely alive... and her boy with his hands cupped together holding no more than a couple of tablespoons of water, giving the fawn a drink. conscious effort to turn away from unrighteousness and chose the better way. I still remember the feeling I had inside when as an 8 year old I had a playmate try to talk me into doing something that I knew was more than just mischievous, it was just plain wrong. I knew it was wrong and I had no interest in going there. I said, "No way!" and that feeling of doing what was right has never left me. Matthew 5:6| Contact: gmail.com@bbc.sharpsburg Search |
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