257 Kendall Street
Burlington, WI 53105
(262) 763-3021
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"Green Eggs and Ham Christianity" Dr. Seuss
October 25 th, 2009
" Do you like green eggs and ham?"
"I do not like them Sam-I-am. I do not like green eggs and ham."
"Would you like them here or there?"
"I would not like them here or there, I would not like them anywhere, I do not like green eggs and ham I do not like them Sam-I-Am."
Remember that story? It’s one of Dr. Seuss greatest works. But be honest, most adults despise the book. They didn’t always hate it though, and most kids love it. If your kids own it, you’ve probably lost count of how many times you’ve read it to them.
You remember the story. Sam keeps trying to get his friend to try green eggs and ham. Would you eat them in a box? Would you eat them with a fox? And at every rejection he tries something new. And his friend keeps saying, no, no, no I don’t like them, until finally it would seem that Sam has tried everything because his friend says...
I could not would not on a boat.
I will not, will not with a goat.
I will not eat them in the rain.
I will not eat them on a train.
Not in the Dark! Not in a tree!
Not in a car! You let me be!
I do not like them in a box.
I do not like them with a fox.
I will not eat them in a house.
I do not like them with a mouse.
I do not like them here or there.
I do not like them anywhere!
I do not like green eggs and ham!
I do not like them Sam I am.
Pretty definite, you’d think that Sam would get the hint, but no he’s up for one more try and try he does over and over again, until his friend finally concedes with “I do so like green eggs and ham! Thank you! Thank you, Sam-I-Am!”
Recently, I was reading that familiar old book and something struck me. If Sam had been your typical Christian from your typical church, then when his friend said, "I do not like them Sam-I-Am, I do not like green eggs and ham" Sam would simply have said, “OK. No problem” and that would have been the end of the story. Sam would have happily gone on his way and his friend would never have experienced the joy of eating green eggs and ham. But Sam wasn’t content to take no for an answer. Fortunately, for his friend, Sam wasn’t like a typical Christian in a typical church, he wasn’t worried about offending his friend or driving him away. All he knew was how important it was that his friend make the decision to try green eggs and ham.
Now I am not trying to trivialize this message, but think about it, if a character in a Dr. Suess story book knows the importance of being persistent when trying to convince someone to try something new, how come we don’t?
Over the years I’ve seen many folk come to Christ because of someone’s Green Eggs and Ham perseverance.
Grace Church must care about people. Sam I Am wanted his friend to try green eggs and ham. Why? Because he liked his friend and he felt like his friend was missing something in his life, in this case it was green eggs and ham. But he cared enough so that he not only asked his friend but he continued to ask his friend. His friend mattered to him. At Grace Church we must care about people as much as our Lord does. He reaches out to them over and over and over and over again. And it’s not about something minimal like trying out a weird dish; it’s the difference between heaven and hell.
That’s why we have midweek programs; that’s why we have Divorce Care; that’s why we have our Single Parent ministry; that’s why we’re having our Harvest Celebration; that’s why we’re putting together our Christmas program – by God’s grace, we are committed to being a Green Eggs and Ham Church. But the leadership can’t do it alone – we need you! Will you be the “Sam” in the field where the Lord has placed you! Will you pray for the lost individuals in your family, your neighborhood, your workplace, your school, your friends and wherever God has placed you? Will you reach out to them with the Gospel? Will you invite them to something as simple and as innocent as a Harvest Celebration?
Christian friend, persevere – heaven and hell are in the balance for those that we care about!
