"A BOY AND HIS ICE CREAM!"

PHILIPPIANS 4:11-19

In the days when an ice cream sundae cost much less, a 10 year old boy entered a hotel coffee shop and sat at a table. A waitress put a glass of water in front of him. He asked, "How much is an ice cream sundae?" "Look at the menu. It's fifty cents," replied the waitress, curtly. The little boy pulled his hand out of his pocket and studied a number of coins in it. "Well, how much is a dish of plain ice cream?" he inquired. The place was pretty busy and the waitress was a bit impatient. "Can't you just read the menu? That's thirty-five cents," she said brusquely. Well, all the little boy had to his name was fifty cents so he had some deciding to do. Did he want to spend it all? I bet that boy wished he had a dollar right then. From time to time, we may all feel something like that little boy, pretty pinched for cash. A little on the light side. Bent if not broke.

• SOMETIMES WE HAVE LESS THAN WE'D LIKE TO HAVE:
• Paul often lacked things he would have liked to have. But he was content because he knew that God would provide all his needs. There is a human tendency to mix up what we want with what we need. And when what we want is not satisfied, we convince ourselves we lack what we need.
• The trend continues: when we think we lack what we need, we focus upon what we do not have rather than what we do have. The result of that is a downward slide into:
• Discontentment and dissatisfaction.
• Ingratitude and complaining.
• Envy and jealousy.
• Materialism and worldliness.
• Those attitudes are reminiscent of the Jews in the exodus. They whined, complained, belly- ached and murmured. "We don't have anything good to eat! We don't have anything to drink! We're gonna die out here, Moses, you jerk, and it's your fault!" In contrast consider this:
• The widow in Mark 12 had only two small coins, but instead of complaining, she willingly gave them in the treasury and Jesus commended her giving.
• The Macedonians had only a little, according to Paul in 2 Corinthians 8, but instead of whining, they were rich in generosity and compassion for others in need.
• Here are some Biblical attitudes to cultivate concerning the wealth of this world:
• Proverbs 23:4 "Do not weary yourself to gain wealth, cease from your consideration of it."
• Proverbs 30:7-9 "Two things I asked of Thee, do not refuse me before I die: keep deception and lies far from me, give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is my portion, lest I be full and deny Thee and say, 'Who is the Lord?' or lest I be in want and steal, and profane the name of my God."
• Philippians 4:11, 12 "Not that I speak from want; for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity;"
• 1 Timothy 6:8 "And if we have food and covering, with these we shall be content." How many of us would be content with food and covering?
• 1 Timothy 6:17, 18 "Instruct those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited or to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, Who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy. Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share."

The little boy again counted the coins and all he had in this world was fifty cents. "I'll have the plain ice cream," he said. The waitress huffed away, apparently irritated at such an insignificant order. In what seemed an extremely long time she brought the ice cream, impatiently thrust it in front of the little boy, put the bill on the table and walked away. Maybe she was having a bad day. Maybe she didn't feel good. But for whatever reason, she had not been at all courteous to the little boy. Well, sometimes that's how it is.

• SOMETIMES PEOPLE TREAT US UNKINDLY:
• Now, sometimes we are just too thin skinned and take everything as a slight or insult. Some people get angry if you walk into a room and speak to someone else before you speak to them. That's just petty and immature. If that describes you, mellow out, be bigger than that, and well, just deal with it. But Paul was in genuine affliction he said. His affliction was being often in want and being persecuted for his faith.
• Well, sometimes people are rude, blunt, insensitive, and downright cruel in afflicting us, too.
• They stick us with demeaning nick-names like Blubbo, or buzzard breath.
• They are friendly to our face and stab us in the back.
• They make it obvious that we are the fly in the punch bowl in a social gathering.
• They cheat us, deprive us and shortchange us.
• They abuse us, curse at us, speak disrespectfully to us.
• They ignore us and exclude us and don't speak to us at all.
• And what hurts most is when it comes from a family member or someone we trusted. The Psalmist experienced that: Psalms 55:12, 13 "for it is not an enemy who reproaches me, then I could bear it; nor is it one who hates me who has exalted himself against me, then I could hide myself from him. But it is you, a man my equal, my companion and my familiar friend." Think about this:
• How are you husbands treating your wives, and you wives your husbands?
• How are you children treating your fathers and mothers, and you parents your children?
• How are you brothers and sisters treating one another in the family and in the body of Christ?
• Have you been treated unkindly? Was it your spouse, child, boss, friend? Sometimes that happens.

The waitress was short with the little boy. She was busy and he was occupying space for only a dish of ice cream. The boy finished the ice cream, paid the cashier and departed. The waitress came back to wipe down the table and then swallowed hard at what she saw. There, placed neatly beside the empty dish, were two nickels and five pennies - her tip. That's like the dog licking the hand that struck him. The boy demonstrated an important truth.

• WE ALWAYS HAVE THE CHOICE OF HOW WE HANDLE ADVERSITY:
• Paul chose how he would deal with adversity. He didn't sit in the corner of a cell cursing, "God, why are you letting this happen? I'm an apostle and deserve better accommodations and better treatment than this!" He chose a better option. There are a number of options open to us as well:
• We can react, in a knee-jerk fashion or in other negative ways; that is:
• We can strike back.
• We can bury the hurt and let it seethe deep inside us only to erupt out of proportion later. Witness Klebold and Harris and the columbine shootings.
• We can slink away and pout, licking our wounds in self-pity.
• We can sulk and blame God that we lack this or that.
• We can respond in a thoughtful, positive manner; that is:
• When we lack things, we can learn, as Paul did, to be content in circumstances we cannot change.
• When we are in want, we can rely on God for strength and providence.
• When we are injured we can go to the offender and seek to gain a reconciliation.
• When others mistreat us we can ignore it, rise above it, and quit making every insult a major crisis.
• When offended we can pray for the offender.
• When insulted we can turn the other cheek, as Jesus told us to do.
• When we are wronged we can do something right, good and kind in return for the evil.
• What do we have to motivate us to respond in the positive rather than to react in the negative?
• We have the command of Jesus: Luke 6:27, 28 "But I say to you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you."
• We have the example of Jesus: 1 Peter 2:21-23 "For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps, Who committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth; and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously;"
• We have the enabling Holy Spirit within us: Philippians 2:12, 13 "so then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God Who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure."
• This will call for and require:
• An execution: the crucifixion of pride, the death of revenge, and the demise of a desire to come out with the last word.
• A determined good-will toward others.
• A willingness to forgive and to leave it to God to seek any vengeance that is fitting.
• The ability to put things into perspective: if Christ suffered at the hands of evil men, we should not think we're above it.
• A steadfast trust and hope in God's ability to take care of us and provide for us in the face of our deficiency or our enemies.
• Fanny Crosby sets forth the proper way to handle afflictions: "oh, what a happy soul am I! Although I cannot see, I am resolved that in this world contented I will be. How many blessings I enjoy, that other people don't; to weep and sigh because I'm blind, I cannot, and I won't!" Whether your affliction is lacking something or facing unkind treatment, learn that lesson well.

A boy and his ice cream also teach us some lessons in dealing with affliction. He shows us how to act in compassion, generosity, self-denial and Christlikeness. But there is a greater one to follow. Jesus Who prayed from the cross for the forgiveness of His malefactors. Jesus Who showed us that God is like a Father eagerly welcoming the returning prodigal. Jesus Who offered friendship to Judas who was about to betray Him. Jesus Who reinstated Peter who thrice denied Him. Jesus who even now stands with open arms to receive you though perhaps you have ignored, or disobeyed, or shunned Him for years. And He gives far more than a fifteen cent tip. He gives us acceptance into God's household, He gives forgiveness of sin, He gives life abundant, He gives us the right to live forever in the presence of God Himself. Don't walk away from Him Whose heart is so kind and tender to you. Don't turn from the One Who loves you like that. The same Jesus we may have sent away often, still says, "Come to Me!" Let us then today hear Him, and let us quickly, gladly and obediently come.

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