Hunger

This morning in church, Gospel reading included one of the most significant understatements that I have ever read:

“He was hungry.” (Luke 4:2b, NKJV)

You have to be kidding me.

Jesus was starving.

(As I side note, I’ve read about fasting at some point and know that the body goes through all kinds of changes during these extended fasts. Bear with me, though, and allow some allowance of the italicized starving.)

He had been fasting for forty days in the wilderness.

Forty days.

I started thinking about times when I have been hungry for food.

Well, let’s face it. As some of you know, I am nearly always hungry.

And when I get really hungry, weird things start happening.

For example, one time spaghetti ended up in my back jeans pocket. Seriously. Okay, maybe that would be best to save for another day.

The other night, though, something happened that doesn’t make for a good story. I was hungry and cranky and a friend made some rather innocuous comment. I curtly and sarcastically replied, “No f-ing kidding.”

So I’m at church this morning reading this scripture passage and am just really amazed. Jesus doesn’t start acting all weird when he his hungry. He doesn’t even start dropping high-powered f-bombs.

Instead, he withstands the enticement of that wily tempter.

I don’t know about you, but I get pretty hungry. And I’m not just talking about food.

Unfortunately, these are the times when that wily tempter is right there ready to step in and reek some havoc.