Pizza My Heart
An Allegory of Faith
To read the full article go here
http://www.ibethel.org/local/index.php?f=journal/pizzaMyHeart.html
I read it and it was really intense, so I thought maybe you guys might want to read it too. Haha it is really long though, read it all though, good stuff :)
I often go down to the local pizza parlor and order pizza. The pizzas in this particular place are so expensive that I can’t afford them. Thankfully, a very wealthy man gave me his credit card to use whenever I want. He simply said, “Just use my card; you can have any pizza you want at any time.”
On this particular day, I walk up to the counter and order a pizza. I am given a little plastic sign that has a number on it.
Then I am told as usual, “Go put this on your table. Your order is number fifty-nine. It means that when pizza number 59 is ready, it’s your pizza.” They always give me number 59; nowadays it almost feels like I own it myself!
After I’ve been given the number, they give me a receipt; I sign my benefactor’s name on it and start walking back to my table. I am hungry enough I could eat the sign, but I know my pizza is coming soon. You see, the little number is “the substance of things hoped for.” 1
As I’m still walking, I hear a man snicker and say, “You’re not really getting a pizza.” I look straight at the tall, lanky man. His eyes are flitting back and forth nervously. Then I say confidently, “Look at this number, number fifty-nine. It represents my pizza. When it’s delivered, it’s coming to my table.”
Well, I’ve been noticing over time that there haven’t been too many people in this restaurant ordering pizza. I don’t know why. It’s my favorite place and has an atmosphere like none other! There’s something so majestic in this place that I can’t help going back.
Finally, some of my friends have been starting to come in, but mostly to rescue me from the illusion that I was actually going to be eating a pizza. The first one came a few years ago. He sat down, his glasses and countenance clearly distinguishing his high level of theological education. He and his family thought I just hadn’t been educated enough on the subject of “ordering pizzas” (as if it were really complicated).
“Bill,” he said. “There aren’t any pizzas anymore. They weren’t made anymore after the last apostle in the Bible died. It’s really vain for you to think that you could actually have a pizza! So, my family and I have come because of our burden for you and your well-being. We don’t want you to live with the illusion that you could actually eat a pizza.”
I said, “It’s too late! My family’s been ordering pizzas for years. I’ve come from a long line of pizza-eaters! I mean, my grandfather sat in the same pizza parlor as Wigglesworth, one of the greatest pizza-eaters in history! I haven’t had too many pizzas myself, but I’ve ordered and I know they are real. I’ve tasted some of the most exquisite kinds and I can’t go back.”
He became so upset that he said matter-of-factly, “Well, those are counterfeit pizzas. There’s no such thing as true pizzas today! So if you think you’ve eaten pizzas, they are counterfeit pizzas!” At that point, he wouldn’t even listen to me, so he and his family left.
Unfortunately, he hasn’t been the only one who’s wanted to pay me an unfriendly visit when I’ve been at the pizza parlor. In fact, after quite a few had come, something strange started to happen. The more I listened to people, even though I didn’t believe what they were saying, the number fifty-nine just started to disappear! Once I thought I had completely lost it behind the salt-shaker. I couldn’t even see it anymore. I had to come to my senses, find it, and put it in front of me again because I had almost lost my own number!
Sometimes I would just get confused after hearing so many negative words. Then I would sit there and stare at number fifty-nine and remind myself, “This is the substance of things hoped for. The pizza is coming!”
“Why?” I’d think to myself, “Because I’ve got number fifty-nine.” I’d bring out my receipts and start looking at them. Genesis through Revelation—it’s just filled with receipts! I’d go over all the different types, simply trying to meditate on them in order to encourage my faith.
One man who troubled me the most barely knew me, but he definitely wanted to have his say. He seemed to carry a pompous and angry attitude when he came in.
He asked bluntly, “Who do you think you are ordering pizza? You can’t afford these pizzas!”
I calmly brought out the receipt and said, “I didn’t use my card. Somebody else bought this for me. Look. It says ‘Bill Gates’ there. He’s offered to buy them. It’s his resources, not mine. It isn’t based on who I am; it’s based on that little name there—Bill Gates. He bought this pizza.”
Frustrated, he asked, “Who do you think you are just using His name?”
“Well, he told me I could. He said I could do that,” I responded innocently. Thankfully he walked out, but he was huffing and puffing the whole way. It really shook me up for a while. I started to wonder, “Well goodness, who do I think I am?” Then I realized I’m a buddy of Bill. I’ve got the same name!
Another memory that stands out at the parlor was with a well-meaning person. When I looked into his eyes, I knew he was trying to be gentle and thoughtful for my benefit. He had always been a caring friend.
“Now, Bill . . . ,” he said. “We just don’t want you to get your hopes up. We know that you’ve ordered pepperoni, but the Chef knows best and he just might give you anchovies. This restaurant should be called ‘Russian Roulette.’ You never know. You may get it, or you may not.”
I thought to myself, “I don’t know about you, but anchovies don’t belong on a pizza. If you like it that way, then I’m sure He’ll get it to you that way.” I was so disturbed for a moment that lost sight of my number again and then started to wander on the road of disbelief thinking, “Maybe my friend is right . . . .”
It finally began to dawn on me why there weren’t many people in this restaurant. I hadn’t known it was such an ordeal to order a pizza! The war that was surrounding me was dramatic. And it was for simply an order! Then I started to remember, “If you abide in Me and I abide in you, you may ask for whatever pizza you desire and it will be given to you.” 2 It wasn’t until that receipt came to mind that I began to have the presence of mind to make it through the battle that was going on inside.
I kept on meditating on number fifty-nine and look over other receipts, “By His stripes you are healed.” 3 “Oh, that’s good!” I thought. “Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the pizza that you desire.” 4 “Oh, what a receipt!” “Taste and see!”5 “Wow! The Chef really knows what He’s talking about!” I began to bring these particular receipts to memory, became tremendously encouraged, and was somehow able to silence the unbelieving thoughts. As often as I would quote receipts in my mind, the number on the table became clearer and people’s negative voices were not quite as loud.
Finally, I was calm enough again so that I began to anticipate and then drool as I waited for my pizza.
More recently a narrow-minded person came in and said, “Did you know that pizzas weren’t meant for this country? This particular restaurant is a chain and they sell well in Brazil and in Africa. But pizzas really weren’t meant for an educated culture. Pizzas are necessary for third-world countries where they don’t have as high of an education as we do.”
I laughed and thought, “Man, where do I trade in my education? I want pizza. If education equipped me not to get a pizza, what am I going to do with it?”
Just this last year, I struggled with helping a good friend understand why I was there at the parlor again, ordering pizza.
He had told me, “Bill, I don’t want to discourage you.” (That is always a sign that what someone is going to say is going to be discouraging!)
“I don’t want to discourage you, but just two weeks ago my aunt ordered a pizza and she never got it. Our whole family was here together when she ordered it. We watched the order go through. We just became so hurt that we left the restaurant, threw the number in the trash and then left the building entirely.”
I didn’t know how to tell him that just because his pizza didn’t come through, he shouldn’t have given up ordering. I had tasted this one-of-a-kind, delicious pizza and I knew I would again. Discouragement wouldn’t make me give up!
Back to this particular day, I’ve become so excited because the restaurant is getting packed!
I ask the people in the next booth, “Hey, what number are you?”
“I’m sixty-one.”
“Oh yeah? Yours is coming up!”
“Who signed your receipt?” some ask me.
“The same one as yours,” I always say. I encourage them and say, “Cool. You should have that one in no time.”
As I go back now, every day, I notice that there’s actually more pizzas than there are numbers on the table, and not an anchovy to be seen (except for those who like them)! There used to be football fields between tables; now people are sitting right next to each other. It’s so fun to look around the restaurant and see people not just waiting for pizza, but also see all the people have already gotten them! Sometimes I sit there without my pizza, but somebody next to me always offers me some of theirs.
I look across the aisle and think, “Oh! I can hardly wait ‘till mine comes. Look at that thing! There’s more cheese and pepperoni on that than should be legal! I’m about to have an amazing experience!” I get encouraged by listening to the stories of how they got their pizzas, and I treasure those moments because they are a testimony that prophecies what I’m waiting for.
I think again, “Man. It’s going to be sweet when mine comes!”
One of the greatest privileges of my life was to sit and wait for pizza alone when the culture around me had reason to do otherwise. I will never trade my experiences at the pizza parlor, but let me tell you, it’s getting even better! Faith is material; it is concrete. We cannot bypass it if we want the kingdom of heaven here on earth. It is the only way to open the floodgates of heaven and create a descending and ascending portal that allows Jesus’ nature to become our own. If I get to stand in faith with another—it is an honor; if I have to stand by myself—still, it is an honor. Faith is a privilege I dare not live without.
Let us join in the opportunity to eat all that we can in the pizza parlor of His goodness!
*****************************************************************
EXPLICATION
HEBREWS 11:1 STATES, “NOW FAITH IS THE SUBSTANCE OF THINGS HOPED FOR, THE EVIDENCE OF THINGS NOT SEEN.”
Jesus says, “All things are possible to him who believes.” 6 It’s natural for us to have faith and believe God because everybody has been given a measure of faith. He is one-hundred percent, perfectly faithful.
Pizza is the representation of faith, which is the “substance of things hoped for.” What happens when we work to cultivate that simple atmosphere? Things simply take place when we walk into a room because we are together with others in faith. One morning at church we had two individuals sitting in the same section that had both broken their neck. During worship, they both got healed within a few minutes of each other. Nobody prayed for them, they were in the line of fire—a Holy Ghost drive-by shooting! They just got in the way! Some people have sat in their seats not being able to read their Bibles anymore until they realize, “Oh, I don’t need my glasses anymore!” It’s not like we just snap our fingers and the bell-hop shows up at our beck and call. He wants to do more than we want to receive. I travel all over the country saying, “I have good news for you. God is in a good mood. He’s so radically generous and extremely good.”
Not only is it natural for us to believe Him and have faith, but it is also natural for us to be a creative expression to the world around us. It’s not a good testimony to be religious people who become stuck in ruts, because if there is anything that He isn’t—He isn’t stuck in a rut! There’s really nothing wrong with being creative; in fact, creativity is necessary if we want to be like Jesus! Look at the miracles in the Bible . . . He didn’t’ duplicate one of them; he did none of them the same way. Once He spit in the eye,7 another time He spit in the mud.8 One time He laid hands,9 another time he grabbed the hands of the person and took him out of town.10 On one occasion, He just said a word;11 and yet another time He said, “It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.”12 All of these people who were healed had different measures of faith, yet He met all of their needs right where they were at. Not one was left behind.
To read the full article go here
http://www.ibethel.org/local/index.php?f=journal/pizzaMyHeart.html
I read it and it was really intense, so I thought maybe you guys might want to read it too. Haha it is really long though, read it all though, good stuff :)
I often go down to the local pizza parlor and order pizza. The pizzas in this particular place are so expensive that I can’t afford them. Thankfully, a very wealthy man gave me his credit card to use whenever I want. He simply said, “Just use my card; you can have any pizza you want at any time.”
On this particular day, I walk up to the counter and order a pizza. I am given a little plastic sign that has a number on it.
Then I am told as usual, “Go put this on your table. Your order is number fifty-nine. It means that when pizza number 59 is ready, it’s your pizza.” They always give me number 59; nowadays it almost feels like I own it myself!
After I’ve been given the number, they give me a receipt; I sign my benefactor’s name on it and start walking back to my table. I am hungry enough I could eat the sign, but I know my pizza is coming soon. You see, the little number is “the substance of things hoped for.” 1
As I’m still walking, I hear a man snicker and say, “You’re not really getting a pizza.” I look straight at the tall, lanky man. His eyes are flitting back and forth nervously. Then I say confidently, “Look at this number, number fifty-nine. It represents my pizza. When it’s delivered, it’s coming to my table.”
Well, I’ve been noticing over time that there haven’t been too many people in this restaurant ordering pizza. I don’t know why. It’s my favorite place and has an atmosphere like none other! There’s something so majestic in this place that I can’t help going back.
Finally, some of my friends have been starting to come in, but mostly to rescue me from the illusion that I was actually going to be eating a pizza. The first one came a few years ago. He sat down, his glasses and countenance clearly distinguishing his high level of theological education. He and his family thought I just hadn’t been educated enough on the subject of “ordering pizzas” (as if it were really complicated).
“Bill,” he said. “There aren’t any pizzas anymore. They weren’t made anymore after the last apostle in the Bible died. It’s really vain for you to think that you could actually have a pizza! So, my family and I have come because of our burden for you and your well-being. We don’t want you to live with the illusion that you could actually eat a pizza.”
I said, “It’s too late! My family’s been ordering pizzas for years. I’ve come from a long line of pizza-eaters! I mean, my grandfather sat in the same pizza parlor as Wigglesworth, one of the greatest pizza-eaters in history! I haven’t had too many pizzas myself, but I’ve ordered and I know they are real. I’ve tasted some of the most exquisite kinds and I can’t go back.”
He became so upset that he said matter-of-factly, “Well, those are counterfeit pizzas. There’s no such thing as true pizzas today! So if you think you’ve eaten pizzas, they are counterfeit pizzas!” At that point, he wouldn’t even listen to me, so he and his family left.
Unfortunately, he hasn’t been the only one who’s wanted to pay me an unfriendly visit when I’ve been at the pizza parlor. In fact, after quite a few had come, something strange started to happen. The more I listened to people, even though I didn’t believe what they were saying, the number fifty-nine just started to disappear! Once I thought I had completely lost it behind the salt-shaker. I couldn’t even see it anymore. I had to come to my senses, find it, and put it in front of me again because I had almost lost my own number!
Sometimes I would just get confused after hearing so many negative words. Then I would sit there and stare at number fifty-nine and remind myself, “This is the substance of things hoped for. The pizza is coming!”
“Why?” I’d think to myself, “Because I’ve got number fifty-nine.” I’d bring out my receipts and start looking at them. Genesis through Revelation—it’s just filled with receipts! I’d go over all the different types, simply trying to meditate on them in order to encourage my faith.
One man who troubled me the most barely knew me, but he definitely wanted to have his say. He seemed to carry a pompous and angry attitude when he came in.
He asked bluntly, “Who do you think you are ordering pizza? You can’t afford these pizzas!”
I calmly brought out the receipt and said, “I didn’t use my card. Somebody else bought this for me. Look. It says ‘Bill Gates’ there. He’s offered to buy them. It’s his resources, not mine. It isn’t based on who I am; it’s based on that little name there—Bill Gates. He bought this pizza.”
Frustrated, he asked, “Who do you think you are just using His name?”
“Well, he told me I could. He said I could do that,” I responded innocently. Thankfully he walked out, but he was huffing and puffing the whole way. It really shook me up for a while. I started to wonder, “Well goodness, who do I think I am?” Then I realized I’m a buddy of Bill. I’ve got the same name!
Another memory that stands out at the parlor was with a well-meaning person. When I looked into his eyes, I knew he was trying to be gentle and thoughtful for my benefit. He had always been a caring friend.
“Now, Bill . . . ,” he said. “We just don’t want you to get your hopes up. We know that you’ve ordered pepperoni, but the Chef knows best and he just might give you anchovies. This restaurant should be called ‘Russian Roulette.’ You never know. You may get it, or you may not.”
I thought to myself, “I don’t know about you, but anchovies don’t belong on a pizza. If you like it that way, then I’m sure He’ll get it to you that way.” I was so disturbed for a moment that lost sight of my number again and then started to wander on the road of disbelief thinking, “Maybe my friend is right . . . .”
It finally began to dawn on me why there weren’t many people in this restaurant. I hadn’t known it was such an ordeal to order a pizza! The war that was surrounding me was dramatic. And it was for simply an order! Then I started to remember, “If you abide in Me and I abide in you, you may ask for whatever pizza you desire and it will be given to you.” 2 It wasn’t until that receipt came to mind that I began to have the presence of mind to make it through the battle that was going on inside.
I kept on meditating on number fifty-nine and look over other receipts, “By His stripes you are healed.” 3 “Oh, that’s good!” I thought. “Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the pizza that you desire.” 4 “Oh, what a receipt!” “Taste and see!”5 “Wow! The Chef really knows what He’s talking about!” I began to bring these particular receipts to memory, became tremendously encouraged, and was somehow able to silence the unbelieving thoughts. As often as I would quote receipts in my mind, the number on the table became clearer and people’s negative voices were not quite as loud.
Finally, I was calm enough again so that I began to anticipate and then drool as I waited for my pizza.
More recently a narrow-minded person came in and said, “Did you know that pizzas weren’t meant for this country? This particular restaurant is a chain and they sell well in Brazil and in Africa. But pizzas really weren’t meant for an educated culture. Pizzas are necessary for third-world countries where they don’t have as high of an education as we do.”
I laughed and thought, “Man, where do I trade in my education? I want pizza. If education equipped me not to get a pizza, what am I going to do with it?”
Just this last year, I struggled with helping a good friend understand why I was there at the parlor again, ordering pizza.
He had told me, “Bill, I don’t want to discourage you.” (That is always a sign that what someone is going to say is going to be discouraging!)
“I don’t want to discourage you, but just two weeks ago my aunt ordered a pizza and she never got it. Our whole family was here together when she ordered it. We watched the order go through. We just became so hurt that we left the restaurant, threw the number in the trash and then left the building entirely.”
I didn’t know how to tell him that just because his pizza didn’t come through, he shouldn’t have given up ordering. I had tasted this one-of-a-kind, delicious pizza and I knew I would again. Discouragement wouldn’t make me give up!
Back to this particular day, I’ve become so excited because the restaurant is getting packed!
I ask the people in the next booth, “Hey, what number are you?”
“I’m sixty-one.”
“Oh yeah? Yours is coming up!”
“Who signed your receipt?” some ask me.
“The same one as yours,” I always say. I encourage them and say, “Cool. You should have that one in no time.”
As I go back now, every day, I notice that there’s actually more pizzas than there are numbers on the table, and not an anchovy to be seen (except for those who like them)! There used to be football fields between tables; now people are sitting right next to each other. It’s so fun to look around the restaurant and see people not just waiting for pizza, but also see all the people have already gotten them! Sometimes I sit there without my pizza, but somebody next to me always offers me some of theirs.
I look across the aisle and think, “Oh! I can hardly wait ‘till mine comes. Look at that thing! There’s more cheese and pepperoni on that than should be legal! I’m about to have an amazing experience!” I get encouraged by listening to the stories of how they got their pizzas, and I treasure those moments because they are a testimony that prophecies what I’m waiting for.
I think again, “Man. It’s going to be sweet when mine comes!”
One of the greatest privileges of my life was to sit and wait for pizza alone when the culture around me had reason to do otherwise. I will never trade my experiences at the pizza parlor, but let me tell you, it’s getting even better! Faith is material; it is concrete. We cannot bypass it if we want the kingdom of heaven here on earth. It is the only way to open the floodgates of heaven and create a descending and ascending portal that allows Jesus’ nature to become our own. If I get to stand in faith with another—it is an honor; if I have to stand by myself—still, it is an honor. Faith is a privilege I dare not live without.
Let us join in the opportunity to eat all that we can in the pizza parlor of His goodness!
*****************************************************************
EXPLICATION
HEBREWS 11:1 STATES, “NOW FAITH IS THE SUBSTANCE OF THINGS HOPED FOR, THE EVIDENCE OF THINGS NOT SEEN.”
Jesus says, “All things are possible to him who believes.” 6 It’s natural for us to have faith and believe God because everybody has been given a measure of faith. He is one-hundred percent, perfectly faithful.
Pizza is the representation of faith, which is the “substance of things hoped for.” What happens when we work to cultivate that simple atmosphere? Things simply take place when we walk into a room because we are together with others in faith. One morning at church we had two individuals sitting in the same section that had both broken their neck. During worship, they both got healed within a few minutes of each other. Nobody prayed for them, they were in the line of fire—a Holy Ghost drive-by shooting! They just got in the way! Some people have sat in their seats not being able to read their Bibles anymore until they realize, “Oh, I don’t need my glasses anymore!” It’s not like we just snap our fingers and the bell-hop shows up at our beck and call. He wants to do more than we want to receive. I travel all over the country saying, “I have good news for you. God is in a good mood. He’s so radically generous and extremely good.”
Not only is it natural for us to believe Him and have faith, but it is also natural for us to be a creative expression to the world around us. It’s not a good testimony to be religious people who become stuck in ruts, because if there is anything that He isn’t—He isn’t stuck in a rut! There’s really nothing wrong with being creative; in fact, creativity is necessary if we want to be like Jesus! Look at the miracles in the Bible . . . He didn’t’ duplicate one of them; he did none of them the same way. Once He spit in the eye,7 another time He spit in the mud.8 One time He laid hands,9 another time he grabbed the hands of the person and took him out of town.10 On one occasion, He just said a word;11 and yet another time He said, “It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.”12 All of these people who were healed had different measures of faith, yet He met all of their needs right where they were at. Not one was left behind.
posted by davidh at 6:24 PM
8 Comments:
WHAT????
Way too take up the whole blog Dave. I think you broke Aimee's record for the longest post ever!
And no - I haven't read it yet, I'm suppose to be studying for my Calculus final...maybe tomorrow.
Wow, that was an intense reading! Had some excellent points, though!
mmmmmm....pizza....
Dave, that's an awesome story!
I love the Bill Gates part. Hmmmm... I wonder who he is ? If the chef is God, maybe Bill Gates is Jesus or the Holy Spirit? I don't know.
dave, that was really good. i was just going to say what melinda said....till i read her comment. this story kinda reminds me of a parable, things are changed to make it understandable for others.
oh wow. i like it. i like it a lot. at first i was like "duh, it's a PIZZA PARLOR!" but then, i got it - I gotcha! it's a metaphor! ooooooh.
i love the first line, though, "I often go down to the local pizza parlor and order pizza." aha . . . am i the only one who found that extremely hilarious? don't answer that . . .
I think it's at like 116 by now! WOW!
IT's at 128 wow...
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