LightGrams
November 10, 2016
Volume 20, Number 36
For years the Hershey Company has used a simple jingle to advertise their Kit Kat candy bars: “Gimme a break …” (You can easily find the tune on YouTube if you’re not familiar with it.) A few days ago that message took on a deeper meaning.
Hunter Jobbins, a student at Kansas State University, recently left his car for a couple of minutes. When he returned, the Kit Kat bar he had left in the cup holder was gone. In its place was a note from the (petty) thief, apologizing for taking it, but explaining that he / she was hungry. Jobbins posted the note on Twitter and it went viral.
Hershey saw the note, and responded by sending Kit Kat bars to replace the stolen goods – 6,500 of them. Hunter filled his car with the candy bars and began handing them out to fellow students. He even posted another note, offering to share his bounty with the thief. “The whole thing has turned into a really cool experience,” he wrote.
Talk about win-win! Hunter Jobbins saw a case of theft take an unbelievable turn; the Hershey Company could not have purchased better publicity for the money they invested; and the thief has been offered forgiveness – and more.
God can easily top this story. You might say He has been the ultimate victim of robbery. The prophet Malachi challenged the people of Judah with this startling question: “Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me!” (Malachi 3:8). The people responded as we would imagine: “In what way have we robbed You?” (Malachi 3:8).
The problem with Judah – and with people of all times – is that we fail to give God what He is due. Earlier in his prophecy Malachi wrote this: “A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If then I am the Father, where is My honor? And if I am a Master, where is My reverence? says the Lord of hosts” (Malachi 1:6).
David wrote in Psalm 29:2 of what God rightly deserves: “Give unto the Lord the glory due His name; worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.” In large measure, however, people don’t give God what He is due: “… although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful” (Romans 1:20). We’ve taken what belongs to another and haven’t even considered giving it back.
But God is willing to give us a break. Isaiah 1:18 states His offer beautifully: “‘Come now, and let us reason together,’ says the Lord. ‘Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool.”
Talk about win-win! We can have forgiveness, and God can have His people back. God is more than anxious to give us a break. Amazing grace, how sweet the sound!
Come to the light God offers! Study His word, the Bible. Worship Him in spirit and truth (John 4:24). Get in touch with us if you’d like to discuss these ideas further.
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Copyright, 2016, Timothy D. Hall. All scripture quotations, unless otherwise noted, are from the New King James Version (Copyright, 1990, Thomas Nelson, Inc.).
“LightGrams” is produced by the Central Church of Christ, 2722 Oakland Avenue, Johnson City, Tennessee, 37601, and is written by Tim Hall, minister. It is sent free of charge every Thursday to all who request it. To subscribe or to receive more information, write to “Tim@GraceMine.org” (our E-mail address), to the U.S. mail address above, or call (423) 282-1571.
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