Last week was the Manheim Farm Show - good chance you know that. At the Farm Show, Ruhl’s Church sells subs. The money raised goes to the Youth Ministry and Mission Trips. This year, we are dedicating all of it to a couple of Mission Trips. I help out at the stand. My favorite job is taking the orders. It gives me a chance to talk to the most people. Also, I have fun with it. When things are slow or someone looks uncertain, I will belt out my sales pitch.

“American subs. Nutritious. Delicious. Totally customizable. Have it your way. It’s a healthy choice. You get a salad on a sandwich. It is the culinary masterpiece of the Farm Show.” It often made people smile. It drew some people in. And most of the crew in the sub stand would roll their eyes, “There he goes again.”

Thinking back on the week, on all of it, it really struck me. We try to offer the best product we can, of course. And part of what we do is try to give the customer what they want. If you don’t like onions, we won’t give you onions. Don’t like the pepper spread, no pepper spread. We grill each roll before we build the sub, but some want a roll that isn’t grilled. That’s what they get. Some are taking the sub home for later or picking it up for someone, and they are not entirely sure what that person would like, so we offer mayo, dressing, and peppers on the side. That gives you an idea; there are so many variations and variables. We did our best to accommodate all.

We live in a privileged society where there are many things like that. We purchase products and employ services only after making numerous choices about how we want them. Buy a new car, or search out a used car, and we are talking about all kinds of options. We compare, pick, and choose from plans and options with insurance, pension plans, and cable packages. We have choices to buy virtually everything from coffee or tea, to deli products, or milk. Variation, size, brand. On and on.

Is it any wonder that there are thousands of denominations of Christianity? That many won’t join a church at all? Many will call themselves spiritual but don’t belong, or commit. We are very used to “having it our way.” In truth, Jesus’ way is Jesus’ way. Jesus says that He is “The Way, the Truth, and the Life.” (John 14:6). Pretty catchy, right? Yes, but. He follows that by saying, “No one comes to the Father, except through him.” Many want what Jesus has to offer: forgiveness, new life, peace, eternity. That’s understandable. But it is not a negotiation. Faith in Jesus is not a pick-and-choose affair. Unless you “take Jesus” as offered, you don’t really have him; you won’t have all that he offers.