I have so many really fond memories of my grandmother, Louise Hughes. Every Sunday, after church service, she would have the pastor, his family, neighbors, children, grandchildren and really anyone who wanted to come over to her house for dinner. Needless to say, the house was filled with people, laughing, talking and mostly eating. There was plenty of food and people ate until they were stuffed. A few would stay to help clean up afterwards—mainly just her children and grandchildren. 

My grandmother would just sit back smiling and enjoying the company and conversations happening all around her. She never seemed agitated by all the noise and sometimes mishaps that took place.

Recently, I began to wonder how many of those who were there, just came for the delicious free meal that had been prepared? Who really spent time talking to my grandmother, getting to know her—what she likes and what she is like? I guess those who came over assumed her joy came from cooking tons of food and watching people devour it. So, every Sunday, people sought to make her house the place to be after church service. Did she take on this new role because it was now expected of her, I wonder?

I shared the above story because of something Jesus said to a bunch of people who had gathered around Him—much like a church service—and after the service, He invited them to stay and eat as much as they wanted; which they did. Out of that entire crowd, I wondered, “Did anyone sit with Him to get to know Him better?”

The Apostle John (6:26) wrote that when people sought Him the following day, Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, you want to be with me because I fed you, not because you understood the miraculous signs.” The miraculous signs demonstrated that God was open to having a spiritual relationship with them. They seemed only interested in a natural one—which, of course, is temporal and fleeting.