TASTING IS BELIEVING

My mother was a lovely woman with a sweet disposition and a sunny smile, always friendly. She was reared on a farm in Oklahoma. She was a tomboy who liked to climb trees, played basketball and baseball for her school, was Valedictorian of her class, and was always a lady.

When she was a fresh-faced, young woman someone accosted her with criticism and arguments.

Why?

When Mom was a child, she committed herself to Jesus Christ as her Savior. She served Him faithfully all her life. She played the piano and sang for God’s glory. She was, in short, a believer.

The man did everything in his power to persuade Mom her beliefs were false.

Mom listened a while and finally said, “If you told me that there was no such thing as a banana split, I might believe you, because I’ve never eaten one. But you’re too late with this, because I’ve already experienced God . . . Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.”

Psalm 34:8 says, “Taste and see that the Lord is good…” Mom had already tasted of the Lord, experienced Him personally, and knew He is very, very good.

Now, you may think this is simplistic, but the man stopped dead in his tracks, quit yammering at Mom and walked away.

Ridiculous, you say?  Today, most people have enjoyed a banana split, invented by David Strickler in 1904 to boost his pharmacy business. You baby boomers surely remember when most drugstores had a soda fountain where you could grab a burger or Coca Cola or banana split. Not just three scoops of DQ vanilla soft-melt ice cream but three different flavored scoops of real ice cream . . . usually chocolate, strawberry, and vanilla.

Let’s you and I go into pretend mode. You know, like you did as a child or with your children or grandchildren. I’ve played “let’s pretend” countless times. Pretend that you are a poor child from a third world country where rice and beans is the go-to meal, if you are lucky.  One day this crazy American lady asks you if you want a banana split.

Blank stare.

She starts telling you about it, but it is gibberish to you. You’ve never seen ice cream or bananas or strawberries, much less whipped cream and maraschino cherries. What’s this crazy lady talking about?

As that poor child (remember, we are pretending) would you disregard me or, as a poor child, would you say, “Please, lady, can I have some?”

I would get my basket of luscious ingredients, grab a bowl, and make you the tastiest treat you’d ever had. I would peel and slice the banana lengthwise; put three big scoops of ice cream between the banana slices; pour hot fudge over the vanilla ice cream, strawberries over the strawberry scoop, and pineapple sauce over the chocolate scoop; top it off with creamy whipped cream and two cherries. Voila! A banana split. All you need is a spoon, and you can dig in. Oh, my goodness! You would experience a creamy, cold, messy, delicious, I-want-more kind of tasty treat!

And the next time a crazy American woman asked YOU, the poor child, if you want a banana split, you’d shout, “Yes! I have tasted it before, and it is so good!”

During my life, I’ve told people how special Jesus is, how loving and kind. Some agree, “Yes, I know Him! I’m so thankful that He died on the Cross to save a sinner like me!” For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son that whoever believes in him shall have everlasting life” (John 3:16).

Many have given me a vacant look and walked away. Didn’t want to hear it. “For this people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes…” (Matthew 13:15a).

Others have criticized me and argued with me, saying Jesus is not the only Way to God and Heaven. “Jesus said, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me’” (John 14:6).

A few have declared there is no God. “The fool says in his heart ‘There is no God’” (Psalm 14:1).

TOO LATE! I’ve tasted Him, have a personal relationship with Him, and He is SO good!

“For I, the Lord your God, hold your right hand; It is I who say to you, ‘Fear not, I am the one who helps you’”(Isaiah 41:13). And since I accepted Him as my Savior, when I was six years old, He has never failed His promise! He always helps me. God is good!

What about you? Will you taste and see how good God is?