Red Letters/Black Letters: Day 93: More than Protein

""My meat is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work." John 4:34

Here is another prime example of Jesus's point potentially getting lost on us first world people. After all, the vast majority of people who go without meat in our neck of the world do so by choice. Do you realize the privilege we have to choose not to eat something?

In Jesus's time meat was not easily accessible at Kroger or Wal-Mart. In most cases the meat you ate was from the animals you raised. And if you didn't raise it, eating meat was a luxury item. The thing you had once in a while, not every day, certainly not at every meal.

We read this and get the idea that Jesus was saying he gets his meat, his sustenance, from doing God's will. While that is true, Jesus is saying something more as well. Jesus's sustenance comes from doing God's will and work, but in addition, Jesus's joy comes from doing God's will and work. Jesus's reward comes from doing God's will and work.

We in the church often talk about 'being fed' when we go to church; while it may be true, how much more so do you think someone who has known true hunger would mean if they said it?  In the same way the man who doesn't get meat 3 times a day means a lot more than just protein when he mentions it.

+ What do you mean when you use the term 'being fed'? How do you interpret it when others say it?

+ How has understanding the context Jesus operated in helped you to understand his teachings? Do you think you need such an understanding?