"No Thanks"

This past week in Sunday Class, Paul encourages the Colossians to just say, “No,” to those who were showing them the myriad of ways to develop their spirituality beyond the work Jesus. We too, need to hear Paul’s encouragement and employ the word, “No,” rightly in our life.

So often I use this word incorrectly. I use it in a manner to turn down things that are good for me and things that I would enjoy. I don’t know if you do this, but often when I am over at someone’s house and they offer me a drink, I usually respond by saying, “No thanks,” even when I am thirsty. For some reason, my knee jerk reaction is to deny the offer. Therefore, I end up denying the giver of the gift and deny his or her pleasure in giving it (not to mention the denial of my parched throat the joy of a cool drink!).

In thinking about why I typically respond negatively to the hospitality of a drink offered, I have come to the conclusion that what I am really saying is, “No thanks, I would rather deny my basic need for water than to be indebted to you by taking you up on the offer of a free drink.” This is very foolish, I know, but I think there is some truth to it. In saying, “No,” to the offer, I am also unconsciously saying, “Yes,” to my self-sufficiency. By saying, “No,” to these offers of hospitality, I am also saying, “No, to the joy of living in community with others. I could go on, but this little use of the word “no” has massive ramifications on the development, or underdevelopment, of my spiritual formation.

Is it any wonder then, when I hear God’s invitation to come, my knee jerk reaction is to say, “No thanks.” Pray with me that we might use the word “no” rightly. Pray that we would use the word in order to clear out the clutter in our lives so that we can hear God’s call to come to him.

“If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink.
Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.”

(John 7:37-38, NIV)