Tell Me About the Food
John 4The Message (MSG)
It’s Harvest Time
31 In the meantime, the disciples pressed him, “Rabbi, eat. Aren’t you going to eat?”
32 He told them, “I have food to eat you know nothing about.”
33 The disciples were puzzled. “Who could have brought him food?”
34-35 Jesus said, “The food that keeps me going is that I do the will of the One who sent me, finishing the work he started. As you look around right now, wouldn’t you say that in about four months it will be time to harvest? Well, I’m telling you to open your eyes and take a good look at what’s right in front of you. These Samaritan fields are ripe. It’s harvest time!
Today I ran across this little gem and it just landed on me. I wanted to share it. This little snippet of scripture comes just after Jesus meets the woman at the well and has that crazy conversation about water and her five husbands… and prophecy and ancestors-you know common ‘pass the time’ conversation. She was just leaving when the guys come back and find Jesus talking to her and they are like- why is he talking to “her” ?….they wanted an answer and they wanted him to be all about the lunch they had just brought. Jesus is so good at crafting the conversation…. with everyone, this is no exception. He is ready to talk to the boys…his friends….because he knows the content of his conversation with this woman before they came. He knows how impactful it was.
They don’t.
They have a dislike for her “type” of person. It was a common racial bias, even in Jesus day. Jesus knows it and he starts the lesson with his friends by saying, “I have food to eat that you know nothing about.” “The food that keeps me going is that I do the will of the One who sent me.” i.e.: I see people, not color, not bias, not status, just people. I like them. I talk to people…even people you don’t like.
Wow.
Who do we not like? Who do we hate enough not to tell them about the freedom and the grit we have found in Jesus? Evaluate your life as a christian. Who are you in contact with that you could, should be speaking life to? Jesus didn’t badger or bludgeon this woman with judgment or even hard scripture quoting… he just asked her for a drink and got into a conversation. Start there….
Two quick points from this story to take away: Firstly; there is a harvest ripening on the vine…. don’t be late. Go get it. Ripe fruit is easy to pick…The fruit is people. People want to belong, they want to be loved and accepted. They long for it. Be a friend. Jesus didn’t hold back the truth but he gave it to her in such a way that she loved him for it. Follow him.
And secondly, there is a peace and a sense of purpose that comes on us when we are doing the will of God. God is love, generosity, peace, comfort, justice, glory and everything humanity needs all in one. He lives in us so it only makes sense to say that we would feel “full” in our purpose like we feel after a good meal when we live out our prayers. “Food others may know nothing about”…. As above, so below…..your will be done on earth as in heaven. It’s not some spirtitual conjuring… it’s just living in action, sweet words and instructive words, gestures or kindness and correction, living in the authority and grace God has given us. I feel completely inspired.
Love you… now go be shiny….
Lisa
