How Could Christian Faith Be Like Chicago Style Hot Dogs?

I believe that the Christian faith is simple and yet comforting, nourishing and fulfilling of our basic needs. I went to lunch with my lunch buddy Elsie last week. That is when I realized that a Chicago Style Hot Dog could be a fitting symbol of the Christian life. There are so many things about the Chicago Style Dog and the fellowship that Else and I have that remind me of the good things that come from being a Christian. Maybe you have been a fan of the Chicago Style Dog and its "Green Green Relish". Maybe you have never seen one because you live too far away from here. Here goes an explanation of how a super hot dog can be an illustration of the things that I enjoy about the faith.

Chicago Dogs have a lot of things on them. You start with a good beef hot dog. You add mustard, onions, tomatoes, a dill spear, celery salt and green, green relish. This relish is really green, insanely green, even freakishly green. The green relish stands as a symbol of the faith for me. Green is the color of Spring; it is the color of new life. Christ promises us new life. New life is fresh and refreshing. We all go around in life carrying dead things - suffocating things with us. The Bible calls this sin. Sin cuts us off from God and cuts us off from life. Christ doesn't want us to go around with death hanging on us He wants us to be alive; to be full of life. Here is one promise of life: "And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son." 1 John 5:11 Many people get tired of the ugly, stifling side of life and would like to have some freshness around and to experience life. The green, green relish reminds me that if we come to Jesus Christ in faith He will take away the old things and give us eternal life.

When Elsie and I go to eat Chicago Style Hot Dogs we experience what the Bible calls fellowship. "But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin." 1 John 1:7 Fellowship is important because it is all about our relationships with Christians. You see, the church is primarily a relationship. It is a relationship with God that branches out to relationships with His people. This is very important because most of the meaningful things that are done in life come as the result of relationships. When we come to faith in Christ we become His child and then we are instantly in God's family. This is because the Spirit of the Father is in all of us.

When I was in high school I had some friends who weren't really good friends. I have seen my kids also struggling with friends and it is hard to find a good friend. How many people are led into trouble by friends who are not really a good example? How many people are let down when they are in need because they had friends who were not there when the going got rough? I have found my best friends among God's people. Elsie is a retired nurse who is highly thought of around the Marseilles/Ottawa community. I am glad to have Elsie as a friend because we share some things in common. My mother was a nurse and so we often share stories that have come from the medical field. Elsie knows what it is like to have 6 post-it-notes stuck to her hand during a nursing shift. Mom also had a note pad and always had a Bic pen with four colors. It is comforting to talk about things that we share in common. Elsie is a great person. I know that she would never lead me astray; that she will look out for my spiritual good and listen to my discouragements as a Pastor. I know that when I share something confidential with Elsie that it will stay confidential. This is the greatest kind of a friend.

You would be surprised how deep and meaningful friendships can grow when they develop in God's family. We share a common spirit that dwells within. We share a common goal, to please our Lord and to make it to heaven. We share a common outlook on life with priorities placed in the places that God would have them to be. You see, we are sort of like counter agents in this world. We do not share the same notions of self-advancement and self-gratification as the rest of the world. We look at things the way that Jesus does with an emphasis on seeking obedience to God and service to all people who need to hear about His saving love. This makes our friendship more than mere friendship. This makes our friendship into fellowship as we share commonly in God's Spirit.

A Chicago Style Hot Dog is so great because of the variety of things that are on it. Nutritionists have questioned the value of a mere hot dog and they are probably right. With the Chicago Dog you get much more than the high fat pork dog with fillers; you get an all beef dog with the whole garden on it. There are a lot of nutritious vegetables on this delicious offering. In fact it would not be far fetched to call it a meal on a bun. It is good to know that this delicious, fun snack is good for you also. This nutritious nature of the Chicago Dog makes it like the Gospel also.

Much of our modern life is not very nutritious for the soul. We major in crude stuff and we major in the fads. It really makes me sad to see shows like Maury Povich which take poor people who are in desperate trouble and put them out there for all the nation to laugh at. Our media is full of junk like that and what is more sad is that it is there because we think it is funny. There is nothing here that feeds the soul. Does art mimic life or does life mimic art? I am not sure. The vast catalog of moral corruption is seen everywhere, though, and not just in the media. You don't think that Bernie Madoff is the only greedy person running around who is ripping others off, do you? You don't think that John Edwards is the only person who has been cheating on his spouse, do you? The fact is that we are treading water in a pool of attitudes, actions and media, right now, that is morally bankrupt. As a result our souls are not getting fed. It is like a steady diet of regular hot dogs. The Bible describes times like this in which people are starving to death, spiritually, in a famine of God's Word - ""Behold, the days are coming," says the Lord GOD, "when I will send a famine on the land; not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD." Amos 8:11

God has promised to feed and nourish the soul as long as we allow Him to be in our lives and call the shots. Here is the promise: "His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence." 2 Peter 1:3 All things sounds like a pretty good deal to me. All things sounds pretty inclusive. That states that God will not only provide us with the things that give us life but all things that give us godliness also. We don't even need to come up with a gift for Him that will impress Him. He wants to give us His Son so that we can come into a state of being godly as His son or daughter. This is what reminds me of the Chicago Dog - it is full and fulfilling - everything is there. If you are feeling let down by life and what it has to offer, then come to Him. If you are seeing through the "junk calories and high fat content" of modern life, then come to Christ for real nourishment.

This article in a work in progress