The Parable of the Grocery Store

This being my first post in this blog I wanted to share what the gospel and Christ means to me.  And in the spirit of Him this parable, given to me while I was reading the bible, is a description of what finding Christ means to those of us who have experienced the truth.  The Parable of the Grocery Store.  No, seriously!

You have just moved into the area.  Your new in town and a little unsure about your surroundings so you decide to go for a drive to see what's around.  (I know, who moves into an area without checking out what's around but stick with me on this!)  You see a grocery store so you decide to check it out and see if it's as good as the old one you had.  From the outside the place looks fantastic with a large parking lot and wide spaces, immaculate building that looks new, and hundreds of cart returns! (the last one's my own personal dream)  On the front of the store is a large banner that says, "Only grocery store in town!"  You think if that's true it better be a good one.

The first thing that strikes you when you enter is the order and harmony.  It's not something you can necessarily see but you know you feel it.  The layout is perfect, the shelves are stocked with everything you could think of, and everything is clean and fresh.  You leave the store thinking you've just experienced the only real grocery store.  Certainly what you used to call a grocery store doesn't even compare!

Excitedly you call a friend in the area and tell them about the grocery store.  They say, "Well, they claim to be the only grocery store in town but they're not.  The store I go to is sooo much better!"  They go on to describe it but even the description seems to fall short of your experience.  Now you're very confused.  How can that grocery store hang that banner on the front if it's obviously not true!

You decide to take a trip over to your friend's grocery store and when you drive up it looks great.  The outside is just as nice and shiny as the other grocery store.  And it doesn't have any exclusive claim to being the only grocery store in town!  But from the moment you enter you realize that it's not the same kind of grocery store.  Chaos and contradiction abound!  Rotting food sits next to fresh.  The dairy isle doesn't have milk but alcohol.  And in the entire bread isle there are only 2 loaves of bread!  "This isn't a grocery store!" you laugh to yourself.  "This is a fight for survival!"  There's no way this grocery store could supply the community.

The next phone call with your friend you try to explain how much better the grocery store you found is than the one they visit.  But they are adamant that it's the only grocery store for them.

Maybe they listen to you and check out your grocery store.  Maybe not.  Maybe they see the banner on the front and don't even bother going in because it's seems so unfair and exclusive.  Or maybe they go in and all they see is a facade filled with people trying to look "better-than-thou".  But you know that if they would just look deeper they would see the truth for themselves.

And that's why I feel so strongly in sharing the gospel of Christ.  I have experienced the truth and everything pales in comparison.  People don't even know what they're missing!  They're happy with their grocery store but they need to see that there is so much more!  What they think is a grocery store is a sad parody of what is the truth.  Please join with me in sharing with those who are content with starvation and apathy that there is fullness and life in our Lord Jesus Christ.

Psalm 34:8  Taste and see that the LORD is good; 
   blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.