I heard a testimony on the radio yesterday:
A family was at the mall when their daughter saw a homeless man scavenging food from the trash cans. The young daughter was moved by the sight, and asked her father if she could buy the man lunch. The dad agreed. When the daughter went to the homeless man, he refused to allow her to buy him lunch.
The daughter, confused, went to her daddy so he’d do something about it. As the father went to buy the man some food anyway, the daughter saw him leaving. She asked her mother to stop him. The mom went to the homeless man and asked him if he would allow her daughter to buy him lunch.
The homeless man said, “Yes, on one condition, as long as you don’t make me throw my food away.”
The family agreed, purchased a meal, and never asked the man to give up anything. Their meal to him was a gift – no strings attached.
The homeless man’s response sat heavily upon my heart that day. The family wanted to give him something that was good for him, and he would only accept it as long as he wasn’t forced to let go of what was used, dirty, and unhealthy.
I grieved over that man’s response, because so often those are our conditions with God. We will accept what is good and healthy from God, as long as we don’t have to let go of what is used, dirty, and unhealthy in our lives.
Yet God, like that family, gives with no strings attached. He continues to pour out what is good, clean, whole, and beautiful. Why? Because God knows that what He offers us never returns void, and He knows eventually we will hunger for the things of God more than the trash that we are holding on so tightly to.
I am so grateful for a God who never gives up on me!
HOW ABOUT YOU: Is there something you are struggling letting go of? Pray and ask God to help you to desire the things of Him more than the things you are afraid to let go of. He is faithful not only to continue to pour out upon you the goodness of who He is, but to set you free from the trash you so willingly consume.
…for he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things. Psalm 107:9