"A Box of Chocolates"

When Jesus saw the crowds, He went up on the mountain; and after He sat down, His disciples came to Him. He opened His mouth and began to teach them, saying, "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. (Matthew 5:1-12 NASB).

Now put on your Forrest Gump accent ... Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get. Sometimes I like to imagine life like that box of assorted chocolates. You really can’t tell what’s inside each piece until you bite into it. That thought reminded me of how we are to look at the relationships in our life.

It calls to mind many questions. Do you have a chocolate covered cherry in your box of life? Is there a caramel filled chocolate in it? Let me translate more clearly. Do you take pride in your position? Or do you feel stuck with the left overs and picked through? We never know what we’re gonna get. Sometimes the candies may seem unnecessary, but all the while they are filling the box waiting for someone who likes just that flavor to pick it. The principle is to continue on. Don’t quit. You haven’t lost yet. In fact, you won’t lose in the game of life, if you keep your eyes on your own box of candy without comparing it to another’s.

The box is filled with blessings and trials, worldly goods and eternal treasures. Some of you have been given sickness and job-loss, heartache and betrayal. Not all of your candies are first choices. Look at the rest of your box. You have candies that are unique and vital. They may not seem so at first glance, you may not think that they are as good as some others, but they are. When I look at my life, I know that I have eternal treasures: love, faith, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, and self-control. I often take them for granted. Yet, these outweigh all of the others in my box. I don't have a lot of tangible stuff like wealth and fame, but according to the Bible, those things aren’t eternal anyway. And, when I look closely, the blessings outnumber the trials as well.

After all, these are the chocolates that bring comfort, fullness, mercy, vision of God, an inheritance as a child of God, and the kingdom of Heaven. Now those are chocolates worth having! Look at your box of chocolates differently today! Look… there’s a dark chocolate filled with caramel… ummmm, my favorite! Funny how I thought that one was mint filled crème… my least favorite!