When my family and I first moved back to Florida several years ago I became a pest control technician. I could tell you horror story after horror story of houses and restaurants overrun with, well, pests. I will spare you the gory details of most of them - except one. And, don't worry - it's really not that bad.
The guy who trained me (his name escapes me) had a stop on his route in south Tampa that had a problem with bees. So we went by to investigate their problem. They said there was a big hive that was prohibiting their customers from entering their bookstore. So, I mean, really - just how BIG could this hive be? Up to this point the only thing close to a hive I had ever seen was a big hornets' nest on the side of a rental property my parents owned and the ubiquitous wasp nests seen in every corner of every house in every neighborhood in Tampa. I was nowhere near prepared for what I was about to see.
The hive was unbelievably big. In fact, big didn't do it justice. It wasn't big. It was gigantic. It had formed it's own gravitational pull and fragments of space matter were orbiting the hive. Ok - I made that up. We were attracted to the hive because that was our job and the things orbiting the hive were bees. But nonetheless the thing was huge. It had taken over the tree in which it "hung". It's residents had taken over the staircase adjacent to the tree and leading to the entrance to the bookstore. This hive did in fact prohibit people from entering the bookstore.
My first instinct was to destroy it. I mean, that's what we did to the hornets' nest years ago and that's what we do to the thousands of paper wasp nests we see every year. So why not? Well, it seems that bees are protected. You are not allowed to destroy the hive. You can remove and relocate it. If I remember correctly, that is. And we were not equipped to remove and relocate this monstrosity at this particular point in time. So we had to regroup. We backed away from the hive to get another look and devise a plan for future relocation.
Upon second look, I could see row after row, column after column, comb after comb of honey. Pure, sweet, local honey. It was beautiful. I think part of me expected to see a little Sue B Honey bear-shaped container fall out of the hive or see Winnie the Pooh stumble down the stairs with a pot stuck on his head. But that's not what it looks like in the hive. It's still in the comb. It's a little grainy. It's thick. It looks nothing like the HoneyComb cereal that I sometimes eat. Honestly, it's not really something I think I'd like to see on a piece of toast or waffle. But it was beautiful. I marveled at the "magic" these bees had worked. I marveled at the work they had put in to create such a fantastic home. I never once thought about sticking my hand inside, grabbing a honeycomb, and cramming that baby in my mouth.
But I would have if I had been hungry.
Jonathan and his armor-bearer won a great victory for Israel in I Samuel 14. They slew, the Bible says, about 20 men in a garrison of the Philistines. This caused a great noise that could be heard back at the Israelite camp. Saul, who was just about to inquire of the Lord if he should make war with these Philistines, stopped the priest and summoned the men to battle. The Philistines were defeated for a while. The Lord saved Israel that day and He used the prince and his armor-bearer to bring a great salvation to God's people. All the fighting made Jonathan hungry. Who could blame him? It takes a lot out of a man to climb between two boulders and kill 20 bad guys. So with the battle over, Jonathan stuck the end of his staff in a honeycomb, brought the comb to his lips, ate it, and was enlightened. He was refreshed. He was ready to go finish off the rest of the heathen dogs and defiers of God and all things holy.
Funny thing, though, that honey. He wasn't supposed to eat it. And as he looked around, no one else had shared in his enlightenment. He alone had tasted just a little of the honey. The people knew something he didn't. While Jonathan and his armor-bearer were engaged in the battle Saul decreed that no one could eat that day until he was avenged of his enemies. Disobedience of this decree would bring certain death with extreme prejudice no matter who the lawbreaker was or to whom he was related. So while Jonathan feasted on that honey the people fainted because they feared the oath of King Saul. A great battle had been won, but a greater one could have been won had the people only followed Jonathan's lead. But they didn't. They were too afraid.
In the battle we fight in serving the Lord we are in danger of growing faint. And we will faint. We will grow weak and tired. We will drop our swords and our bodies will stop us dead in our tracks.
Unless we eat some honey.
Now, I don't mean that you should go to your local beekeeper and swipe some of his honey. I don't mean go to the pantry and grab that bear-shaped container and squirt it in your mouth like you would Redywhip whipped topping. That won't do anything but get you stung or give you high blood sugar. No... you and I need to feast on something the Psalmist of Israel described as sweeter than honey. We need to feast on God's Word. We need to immerse ourselves in the well that will never run dry. Don't just get a morsel here and there - feast on the eternal Word of God and watch how it enlightens your spirit. Watch how it gives new life and strength. Watch how it gives you hope for the next battle. Just eat a little honey.
The only thing holding you back is fear. The people could have feasted but they feared the king's oath. They were worried about what King Saul would say. They cared more for what the earthly king said than what was right in the sight of God. Do you care more about what others think than what God thinks? If you do, you won't eat. You'll faint. Do you care more about what your husband, your wife, your kids, your friends, your co-workers think? Then you won't eat. You'll faint.
Serve the right king. Look to Jesus and serve Him, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Taste and see that the Lord is good. Feast on something that is sweeter than honey. Then as we labor together side by side, in obedience to the Lord and with the Lord, you can look for me.
I'll be the one with the honeypot stuck on his head.
