Wednesday, June 21, 2006
Dodging Lightening
 SatisfactionOn this particular Monday I was running a mid-morning errand that took me right by a Krystal. My wife doesn't care to eat at Krystal, so being alone in the car at this place and at this time presented a rare opportunity for me. It was, as Presbyterians are fond of saying, divine providence. The meeting would not convene for more than an hour and besides, Krystal burgers are so small. This wouldn't really be a lunch, but a mid-morning "snack." I pulled into line at the drive-thru, making my way with great anticipation to the raspy little speaker where I ordered my snack – four Krystals, fries, and a medium diet Coke. The aroma of those warm little burgers was like incense, turning my car into a chapel for junk food lovers. I ate my snack as I drove back to the church. By the time my lunch meeting rolled around, the fruit and whole wheat bread sandwiches looked pretty lame in light of my mid-morning snack. A perfectly good and healthy lunch was being offered to me, but I didn't want it. I was full. I had traded a good meal with Christian friends for the greasy processed stuff eaten in the lonely confines of my car. Having filled myself with fast-food, I wasn't able to enjoy a truly decent meal. What the world calls "satisfaction" is really more like being full of junk food. It's a kind of fullness that takes away our appetite for what is best and good. C. S. Lewis is often quoted as saying that God faults us not for wanting too much, but for being satisfied with so little. We glut ourselves on what the world offers, and then find that we have no appetite for God. When we are Solomon-like in obtaining possessions and pleasures, denying ourselves nothing, our hunger for the Holy is quenched. Real satisfaction comes from God and involves God. Solomon rightly knew that it is good to eat and work and be satisfied – but without God it isn't possible. So how's your appetite? Now as I am sure you can guess, I really take issue with calling Krystals 'junk food.' That's a whole different topic I'd rather not venture into right now. At the risk of being accused of being a heretic or blasphemy for disagreeing with a pastor, I feel I do need to take issue with one small point. I agree the problem started when he placed his order (for a #1 combo if you were paying attention). Instead of ordering a #1 combo and eating it by himself in the car, if he had simply ordered the Steamer Pack (24 Krystals) and taken them with him, he could have shared in the fellowship with others as they ALL enjoyed the Krystals. The issue at hand is greed. Keeping the Krystals to himself denied everyone else the joy of Krystal. The story does make me wonder, though, if Krystal will ever come out with a Krystal on wheat. hmmm...  |
