It has been a long day, you’ve missed dinner,
and all you want is something fast, cheap, and NOW! Pulling into a fast food
place, the Golden Arches welcome you, but seeing the drive-thru line long, you
gamble and go inside. Where the lines are shorter but not moving so fast. A
burger, fries, and a Coke sound good, so you tell the person waiting on you,
“gimme a burger, Coke, and fries.” Whereupon the bi-lingual clerk, English is
his second language, asks, “what kind of burger?” And you notice there are a
dozen choices of burgers. “Just a hamburger.” “Cheese?” “OK.” “What size
fries? Small medium, or large?” “Medium,” a good middle of the road answer.
“What kind of Coke? Classic, Diet, or Zero? Caffeine free?” “Classic.” Now,
do you want to Super size it?” “NO!” a quicker answer than yes, and as you look
at the small amount of change from your ten, you realize why the line is so
long, and moves so slow. All you wanted was a quick meal, a basic burger with
fries, and a Coke t wash it down, and you spend more time in line, making
decisions, than eating it. Remember when fast food was fast, it meant fast
service, not the time it took to go through you? And all you want to do now is
go home, to escape. And as you sit next to a man sipping his latte, on his
laptop, you notice you ‘re not in McDonald’s anymore. You’re in a Mac Café,
trendy. And you notice how McDonald’s, the father of all fast food, has morphed
into Mickey D’s, and now into a Mac Café. What next, Ronnie D’s? Or Café
Ronaldo, giving it an international flair, to match your designer coffee? Happy
Meals with little plastic iPods, sitting next to their parents, each one on
their own cell phone, talking but not to each other. And all you wanted was
something fast to eat?
There is an old story about dog food, where the
company is introducing its new dog food to its sales force. They are excited
about the new packaging, the new ads, and the new commissions they will be
earning from the new sales. But in the midst of this, someone asks, “what do
the dogs think of it? Do they like it?” And the room gets quiet, for no one
asked a dog, or even thought to ask. Woof! My manager at Bowman used to say
“unless you are the lead dog, the view never changes.” Trying to spur us on to
take the lead. But I also find the hamster on the wheel always has the same
view, and he is not leading anyone. And maybe, he would like some backup help
on his ride to nowhere on the wheel. So why am I surprised when all I want is a
burger, yet get confronted with so many choices?
It had been a busy day, a busy week,
for Nicodemus. Among all the religious activities and ceremonies he had to
perform, a new player had come on the scene, Jesus of Nazareth. A man who
claimed to be God, met all the criteria, was at the right place at the right
time, but wasn’t whom they had expected. He had to see for himself. So after
all the crowds were back at the inns for the evening, Nicky D. plans to meet him
after dark. We aren’t told how he arranged it, but he just needed to meet this
Jesus. And when he did, all his ideas about religion were about to change.
Nicky D. was a Pharisee, head of the Sanhedrin, and also a rich, powerful man.
A famous man who could be recognized, and yet was willing to gamble, to risk it
all to meet this rebel. And when asking questions, the answers only led to more
questions, and confusion. You see as a Pharisee, Nicky was a very public man,
and had to obey all of the 600+ Mosaic laws. Any slight indescretion of one
could be deadly to his reputation, and also to his belief of reaching heaven.
Faced with so many choices, he had to be worn out by the end of the day. Yet,
Jesus met with him, privately, and gave him some great advice, advice we all
need to take. “You must be born again to inherit the kingdom of God,” spoke
this man who was God. And when Nicky could only think in physical terms, how
can I go back into mother’s womb, it took a while for him to consider the
spiritual message that Jesus gave him. For once he had been told the truth,
without religion and its snares. And he had to make a choice, the law of Jesus,
to love God first and then our neighbor, or to obey all laws, and correct the
ones who broke them. 2000 years later we would have the US of A, who in the
Constitution promise freedom of religion, Jesus was offering him more, freedom
from religion!
Now we don’t hear about Nicky for 18
chapters in the Book of John, but we see him at Jesus’ grave. His heart has been
changed, and he is willing to risk it all-the power, position, riches, and fame
for eternal life. He chose one way, Jesus, over many ways. He chose the spirit
over the law, and found new life, eternal life. He was born again. From a
garden to a tomb, he followed Jesus all way. Now the question is, do you? Will
you? Are you stuck in the line of fast food religion, Mickey D’s, too many
choices, and still not what you want? Or would you prefer Nicky D’s choice, to
be born again? Does your religion leave you hungry or wanting more? Maybe you
need to go with Nicky rather than Mickey. A Super sized God without asking.
Not trendy, but eternal. A happy meal, with a happy relationship, God calls
blessings happinesses. All the Jesus, without all the rules. Less chances to
slip up, and when you do, He’s there to catch you, not discipline you. Hands to
hold you-nail pierced hands that understand your pain. Shoulders to lean on,
arms to hug, and it’s all paid for! All you need to do is step up and receive
it.
Too many choices lead to too many wrongf
decisions. Make the right choice today-Jesus. Nicky D. did 2000 years ago.
Jesus or religion. Have it your way. You deserve a break today. Have a real
happy meal. I’m going to miss that clown with the red hair.
love with compassion,
Mike
matthew25biker.blogspot.com