I was fixing hubby’s turkey and swiss sandwich this morning as he was getting ready to leave for work, when something on the lunchmeat packaging caught my attention: “NEVER EVER GIVEN.”
“Boy, isn’t that the truth!” I immediately thought. “Nothing in this life is ever given to us for free. We have to pay for everything!”
Granted, the advertisement on the lunchmeat packaging was promoting how their lunchmeat was far superior to all other lunchmeats …
But the thought has stayed with me how that when it comes to life, we are never ever given anything!
Ok, one might argue that we are given free little samples in Costco. But that’s just tiny little samples intended to get us to purchase something.
Or … we are given one month’s free subscription for cellphone service, or an online tv streaming service. But it’s just a ploy to get us to sign up to purchase something, so that they can then raise the price a month later.
On our cruise this past summer, hubby and I took a “behind the scenes” tour of the ship during our day at sea. It was great fun! We both enjoyed it immensely!
Here you can see a lady in the kitchen assembling roast beef sandwiches for the all-you-want free pizza and sandwich bar.
What!?! There’s an all-you-want free pizza and sandwich bar!?!
Here you can see she is slicing big sheets of focaccia bread for a different type of sandwich, for the all-you-want free pizza and sandwich bar.
How did hubby and I not know about this?!?
And where is this all-you-want free pizza and sandwich bar??
By now our cruise was more than half over. We only had two more port stops, then the cruise would be done. And we had had no idea that an all-you-want free pizza and sandwich bar existed.
Hubby and I immediately went searching for this all-you-want free pizza and sandwich bar!
Lo and behold it didn’t take us long to find it. It had been right in front of us all week long! In the main central atrium of the ship were all sorts of shops and entertainment. Most evenings, before our evening devotional session with Pastor Jack Grahm, hubby and I would relax in comfy chairs up on one of the balconies and watch all the excitement going on down below in the main atrium.
There was usually live music. And sometimes there would be dance classes, which were highly entertaining to watch. Right below where we were sitting and directly across from the live music was the all-you-want free pizza and sandwich bar! There was usually a line. Hubby and I had been walking right past the place all week long! We had just assumed it was a specialty pay-for-it place.
But no! It was free!
Oh we must try this out! So hubby and I made a point to go see what we could get from the all-you-want free pizza and sandwich bar.
So many different types of sandwiches to choose from! They all looked so yummy! You could pick whatever you wanted, and however many sandwiches you wanted … and the worker would put your sandwiches on a plate and give them to you. For free! It was mind blowing!
And not only that! They had desserts for free too! So many yummy desserts! You ask for whatever you wanted … and they would hand it to you … for free! You could walk right off and not even pay for it! It was mind blowing! (granted, it was included in the price of the cruise … but regardless, it was mind blowing!)
It brings to mind the verse: “You have not because you ask not.” – James 4:2
This in turn brings to mind the verse: “Ask and you will receive … For everyone who asks receives … how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him.” – Matthew 7:7-11
As far as I can think, the only things in mine and hubby’s life which are free are the things God gives to us. Everything required for our daily survival, we have to pay for. We pay for a roof over our head. Even when we eventually pay off our house, it will still not be free for us to live. Even then we will still have to pay the same equivalent as a mortgage in property taxes!
But a sunflower seed … if I plant a sunflower seed in the ground, God sends the rain for free. God sends the sunshine for free. God makes the sunflower grow for free. And I wind up with gorgeous amazing sunflowers (lots grow on one stalk!) … for free! That’s amazing!
Or … if I plant a bean seed in the ground God causes the bean seed to sprout … and grow … and I wind up with lots and lots of delicious green beans to eat! For free! That’s amazing! Nowhere else in life can I get food to eat for free!
I know I’ve written about this before, but it blows my mind how the only things in life which are free are the blessings God gives to us. God doesn’t make us pay.
I was reading 2 Corinthians 9:9-13 and it struck me that while God is amazingly mind-blowingly generous towards us … he in turn asks us to be every bit as generous towards others!
“Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. … so that you can be generous on every occasion, and … your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.” – 2 Corinthians 9:10
God wants us to give freely to others in the same way He has given freely to us! This is unheard of! This is radical! God asks us to give away blessings for free! … just like He gives blessings to us for free!
That’s a high calling! In a world where nothing is ever given!
God asks us to give our time freely for others. Sometimes all someone needs is a listening ear … someone to actually care enough about them to genuinely listen.
I think time is perhaps one of the greatest blessings we can give to someone … for free! It’s a sacrifice to give our time to someone else. Let’s face it, it’s a sacrifice to give just about anything to someone else … for free.
But when we do … we are being a reflection / a “mirror” of God himself. And it brings glory and praise to God.
What things in your life do you get to enjoy for free?
In what ways are you bringing blessing to someone else’s life by sharing something with them for free?
