What’s On the Inside? – A spiritual lesson from McDonald’s & Long John Silver ketchup
Hey Fam and Friends. I’m back! At least for now. Sorry I’ve been away from the blogosphere for a while. Been a busy year thus far.
Anyhow. Hope you enjoy this recent musing that the Lord laid on my heart. And since I mention heart….
I went to McDonald’s one night to get a meal which included a side of fries. And like most people would, I asked if I could have some packets of ketchup to go on my fries. This is not always the case, but this particular night I guess the worker was feeling incredibly generous and when I got home I realized that they had given me quite a few packets of ketchup. Way more than I needed for the single meal I had that night. So deciding to be prudent and not wasteful I decided to just hang on to the extra packets I had for another day.
It just so happened that another day came pretty quickly – I ended up going to get another fast food meal the next day or so, only this time it was from Long John Silver. (Now before you judge me, remember I said life has been busy, Lol! And while I do advocate taking care of your body, which is God’s temple, I do also find comfort in 1 Timothy 4:1-5). Still, watch your diet and take care of yourself folks! 🙂
So, needless to say, with this meal I ordered, I again had a side of fries. The worker asked me at the window if I needed any condiments, but this time all I asked for was tartar sauce. And why? Yep, you guessed it…because I knew I already had plenty of ketchup already waiting for me at home. And even though the ketchup I was planning to use was from another restaurant, I still had every intention to use it. And why? Perhaps you are two for two….it’s because I knew that what was on the outside of the packets I had at home was just outside packaging – I knew it was what was beneath it that I was really concerned about. It was what I was really after. It was what I really wanted. I was just after the ketchup. Not the outside packaging, no matter what label or restaurant name it had on it. At the end of the day the package was going to be opened, I was going to use what was inside, and the external packet was just going to get thrown away. So it didn’t matter to me whether the ketchup was from McDonald’s or if it would have been from Wendy’s, or Burger King, etc., etc. All I was concerned with was what was on the inside. What was beneath the packaging.
God is the same way. Mankind tends to be impressed with the outward appearance. How nicely one looks…or doesn’t look. How nicely one is dressed…or not dressed. How much money a person makes…or doesn’t make. What that person does for a living…or doesn’t do for a living. Yes. This is how natural man views people. But I am so glad it is not so with God. He is not so much concerned with what your outward appearance is. His appeal and interest is with what is inside you. What is beyond the packaging. He’s concerned with the condition of your heart. And your heart is in fact what He sees and knows like no other – for He says in 1 Samuel 16:7 “But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.”, and again He says in 1 Chronicles 28:9 “And you, Solomon my son, know the God of your father and serve him with a whole heart and with a willing mind, for the Lord searches all hearts and understands every plan and thought. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will cast you off forever.”
So unlike with man, God is concerned about what is on the inside of you. So the question is, when the Lord looks on the inside of your heart, what does He see? That which pleases Him, or displeases Him?
If you honestly answer that it is that which displeases Him, man have I got some good news for you – I know someone who gives new hearts – Jesus! He gives entirely new ones! And it starts with you confessing yours is not right before Him and is bad and in desperate need of replacing. And that He is the only One who can give you one that will be right before Him and towards Him. And BAM. There’s your new heart. Doesn’t matter what the external packaging is. He’s concerned about what’s inside. So go ahead. Repent of your sins and your old wicked ways. And trust Jesus Christ for your new heart. Today.
chrislove15 