The US Army Ranger School is notorious for a lot of things, but one of them is putting immense amounts of stress on leaders and asking them to do nearly impossible things. Great example: roughly 30 days of patrolling with a 75 lb rucksack leading 30-50 starving and sleep deprived Rangers through the woods and hills and swamps of Georgia and Florida...mostly at night. All the cute documentaries on the Discovery Channel will tell you that. But what you maybe didn't know is that the packing list at Ranger School (which is understandably strict) allows for each student to have, at any given time, some pre-determined amount of gum. Weird right? Why is that? I had an instructor put it like this: "You're allowed to have some flavor, just not food." The truth is, chewing gum is super helpful when you're hungry and can’t eat. A little bit of flavor in your mouth definitely does curb your appetite. To this day, when I go on a long hike, I always bring gum. But here's the problem: flavor without food doesn’t satisfy your hunger. Chewing gum curbed my appetite; it didn't give me any nutrients. A lot of us have been told that our desires are bad things. In some cases, they certainly can be. But at other times, like with your hunger and thirst, they are indicators of a deeper existential need.
So, if you’ll permit me to ask a personal question: for what does your soul hunger today? For what does your heart thirst today? Do you need rest? Do you want adventure? Do you long for intimacy and connection? Are you seeking peace? Are you desiring purpose? Do you want relief?
All of your longings and all of your desires find their ultimate fulfillment and satisfaction in the Kingdom of God. Our problem is that we often settle for lesser things: for flavor when we need food. It’s a bit like what Isaiah said: “Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and you will delight in the richest of fare.” (Isaiah 55:2, NIV)
Are you hungry? Jesus is the Bread of Life. If you eat of him, you will never starve again. Are you thirsty? Jesus is the Well of Living Water. If you drink of him, you will never thirst again.
When you sense the flicker of desire, seek first the Kingdom of God and He will fan it into a healthy flame. Whatever you do, please don’t try to make a meal out of gum.
This Article first appeared in the print edition of the Kingsport Times News on Saturday, March 6, 2021. For more, you can find them online here.
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