What Really Satisfies
One of the things I’ve noticed as I’ve gotten older is that you start to weigh sweets by the criteria: “Is it worth it?” When you’re a kid, it’s always worth it. I can remember eating those candy dots off of strips of paper, ingesting pieces of the paper along with the crunchy sugar, and it was worth it. Ice cream served out of a run down van that used to circle the neighborhood? Worth it. One cupboard in my house growing up always held a variety of snack cakes and treats, and they were always worth it.
But I’ve noticed for myself and among my friends that as we’ve aged, we’ve become much more selective.
If you offer me a cone from Dairy Queen, I’ll most likely decline. But Andy’s Frozen Custard? Worth it.
Hold out a piece of Hershey’s chocolate, and I can easily pass. But a Ghirardelli Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Caramel Square? Worth it.
If there’s a Little Debbie snack cake on the table, I’m pretty sure I’d pass. But place a Nothing Bundt Cake in front of me? Worth it.
Now, I know for some of you, no sugary sweet treat is worth it. I don’t understand you. We can still be friends. But for most of us, we weigh whether eating the treat is worth it because we’ve come to understand something: Not everything satisfies. If we’re going to ingest the calories the sweet treat carries, we want it to be worth it.
If only we’d learn to live by this discernment in every area of our lives.
I was thinking about that this morning as I read about Jesus’ interactions with the crowds in John 6.
To set the setting, early in the chapter, Jesus performs one of his miraculous signs. Over 5000 people joined him for a picnic where Jesus takes five small barley loaves and two small fish, breaks them into pieces, and fills everyone’s bellies. The twelve disciples even ended up with doggie bags to take home!
Let’s pick up the story the morning after this miraculous feeding:
“When they found him on the other side of the lake, they asked him, ‘Rabbi, when did you get here?’
Jesus answered, ‘Very truly I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw the signs I performed but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him God the Father has placed his seal of approval.’” (John 6:25-27)
Jesus knows why they are following him. They want more bread. And who can blame them? If someone could spare me the daily grind of having to make dinner, I’d chase him down too. But Jesus wants them to understand that there is something far more satisfying for them to experience than what they are looking for. They are like children asking to eat candy dots off of strips of paper not realizing that something far more worth it is available. There is a “food that endures to eternal life” ready to be eaten. Jesus goes on to describe it as “the true bread of God” that “gives life to the world.” (John 6:33)
With their stomachs growling, the crowd responds: “Sir, give us that bread every day.” (John 6:34) To which Jesus declares:
“I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.” (John 6:35)
Jesus is trying to get the people in front of him to understand that there is a deep hunger, a deep longing for satisfaction within them that can only be met in one way.
Jesus is the answer to our hunger.
Jesus is the solution to our thirst.
He is our sustenance.
He is what we need every day to not only survive but thrive.
New Testament scholar Marianne Meye Thompson writes:
“...they do not yet see that the bread is not something that Jesus gives but rather is Jesus himself, and that because he is God’s life-giving agent and Word, Jesus not only can offer them the bread that gives life eternally, but is himself also that bread.” (John: A Commentary)
Sadly, the people don’t see it. As the passage goes on, most of the crowd decides to take a pass on this meal. It’s like they go off in search of Little Debbie cakes when a whole case of Cheesecake Factory treats has been opened to them.
Let’s not make that same mistake.
When we’re longing for connection, let’s not spend two hours scrolling through social media. Let’s go to Jesus.
When we’re longing for security, let’s not indulge ourselves in news media that fuels our fears that the other side is leading us to destruction. Let’s go to Jesus.
When we’re longing for acceptance, let’s not give ourselves to people in ways that compromise our true values. Let’s go to Jesus.
When we’re longing for significance, let’s not chase the scorecards of success, wealth, and power. Let’s go to Jesus.
When we’re longing for peace, let’s not numb ourselves with our addictions. Let’s go to Jesus.
The bread of life stands always before us saying, “Taste and see that the Lord is good.” (Psalm 34:8a)
So, let’s learn to be a little more selective. Let’s stop settling for empty calories and instead choose the only One who will ever truly satisfy. He is always worth it.
How can you feast on him today?
