When Kisses Run Low: A Reflection on Abundance, Need, and Faith
I hate running out of things—especially my Kisses! Sitting next to my chair in the living room is a nice glass jar that is usually filled with Kisses, the chocolate kind. But recently, I noticed that the jar is running low, and I must admit, I’m a little concerned. Now, let me be clear—I don't just like any kind of Kisses. I prefer the Dark Chocolate or the regular Milk Chocolate varieties. I truly need my chocolate fix every now and then.
But here's the thing: running low on things or running out of essentials isn’t something most Americans experience often. We live in a country where we have an abundance of most things, especially the things we truly need.
The Spiritual Parallel
This abundance, however, might be one of the reasons we don’t feel as close to our Lord. When we have so much, our perceived needs become minimal, and our sense of self-reliance grows stronger than it should be. We can handle the "small" things like running low on Kisses, but what about the bigger things—like our relationship with God?
When was the last time you really felt the weight of need? I wonder if, sometimes, we need to experience more of that. What if we ran low on our physical comforts, just as my jar of Kisses is running low? Maybe we need to face times of scarcity—not to punish us, but to help us refocus our hearts and minds on what truly matters.
In fact, maybe we need to “run low” on more than just chocolate. Maybe we need higher purpose and lower income. Maybe we need less of the “good stuff” and more of the “bad stuff”—not in a literal sense, but in the sense of learning humility, patience, and dependence on God. In the Bible, we are reminded time and time again of how God provided for His people, whether it was manna in the desert (Exodus 16) or Jesus feeding the 5,000 with five loaves and two fish (John 6:1-14). In moments of scarcity, God can show His greatness.
The Call to Give and Serve
If we truly want to live like Jesus, maybe we need to consider giving it all away. Just think about it: Jesus had nowhere to lay His head (Matthew 8:20). He lived a life of simplicity, relying completely on the Father’s provision. As much as I love my Kisses and comforts, I have to ask myself: am I more focused on what I have than on what I’m called to do with it?
It’s easy to get wrapped up in the comforts of modern life. But the more I think about it, the more I realize that, instead of always seeking more, we might need to embrace less. Less of our material goods, but more of God’s grace and love. And maybe, just maybe, if we focus more on giving than receiving, we’ll start thinking more like Him.
Conclusion
Running low on Kisses might not seem like a big deal, but it’s made me pause and reflect on my own life. In a world full of abundance, perhaps we could benefit from running low once in a while—not just on chocolate, but in our hearts. When we rely on the Lord more and on material comforts less, we may just find a deeper, richer connection to Him.