Before we bought out last refrigerator, we were in Sears one
day checking out what selections they had to offer. As my husband and I walked through the
appliance section of the store, I noticed a little girl running from one
refrigerator to another. She was
probably only three or four years old and cute as a button. At each fridge she would grab the handle,
give it a hard tug, open the door and peer in, then slam the door and go to the
next fridge in line and do the same thing.
After she did this a few times I heard the little girl’s mother ask her
why she was doing that. The child looked
at her mommy so seriously and said, “I’m
hungry! I’m looking for something to eat!”
I could not help but laugh! I’m
sure she must have been used to going to a well-stocked refrigerator in her
home to get snacks and just assumed that ALL fridges had food in them.
As grownups, we would never try to find a snack in the
refrigerators on the show room floor in Sears!
We know better. But I wonder how
many times we look for soul nourishment in places where none exists? The world tells us that we will be satisfied
(full) if we get the right education, the best job, the perfect mate, the most
money, the desired body weight/image, etc.
All of those things can be good.
All of those things can add to our lives. But none of those things, in
and of themselves, can nourish our souls.
That can only come from a relationship with Jesus Christ. John
6:35 says this: “And Jesus said unto them, I
am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never
hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.”
There are
multitudes of hungry people in the world. Contrary to the opinions of some,
spiritual hunger is more important to be fed than physical hunger. Jesus said in Mark 8:36, “For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world,
and lose his own soul?” But until we are ‘’alive’’
in Christ though salvation through faith we cannot receive spiritual food. After salvation spending time with Jesus
through Bible study and prayer then gives nourishment to our new life in Him.
Spiritual hunger
is just as real as physical hunger and just as important to be fed. But we
mustn’t focus only on spiritual hunger when someone is physically hungry
also! It is our duty as Christians to help
the poor and the hungry. Jesus said that
when we do this for “the least of these’’,
(Matthew 25:37-40) it’s just like we are doing it for Him.
Let’s just make
sure that we are looking for healthy and wholesome foods….both physical and
spiritual…in the right places! Not in
empty refrigerators or empty promises of this world!
