One Last Bite of the Meal

Author: Yan Wing
Translator: Kaylee Ho

Friend, I wonder if you have such a habit? When eating, save the best bite for last, so that it leaves a good taste in the mouth. If the last bite of food is not good, or even just a little unappetizing, you might feel very bad all day long.

As we work hard and wade through life, we’d want to leave some of the best things for ourselves and our children. If one has lived comfortably but becomes miserable and sick later on, wouldn’t you want to avoid this from happening?

Some people believe in fate and deliberately evade their own responsibilities, or they might say “I’ll take my chances”. But what is “fate”? Is it unknowable and unattainable? On one hand, yes: there are many situations in life that are difficult to grasp; but on the other hand, happiness and failure of life can be mastered by oneself before the last moment arrives. At least, we can do our part, that is to save the best, most delicious food until the last bite. Do not be like the prodigal son as told by Jesus in the Bible (Luke 15). At his young age, the son squandered all his wealth and ended up fighting with the pigs for food. Fortunately, he was still young without gray hair and wrinkles. He was able to go home to confess his sins and be accepted by his loving father. If you exhaust everything and only repent in your twilight years, would you want to take a bite of pig food in the end?

Jesus moved on to tell another parable (in Luke 16) that a rich man spent his whole life drinking and living a life of luxury. But when he arrived in Hades after death, there was neither good food to eat, nor a drop of water to quench his thirst. He suffered from being tormented in flames day and night. If he had known this would happen, would he have lived such a luxurious life? Of course not. If he had known this, (and he should have known, since he had read the Bible when he was alive) he would have left himself with the most delicious food in the end. At this time, the rich man is heedless of living an extravagant life, so what he had left for himself in the end was the tormenting pain in hell, and it was too late to regret and to save his brothers, who are still alive in the world and enjoying the pleasures of sin. The last bite of food was spoiled by him before he died, and he didn’t have a chance to repent after being trapped in hell.

What about you? Before the feast of life is over, do you want to leave yourself a final bite of the delicacy? Please think about it and cherish what you have.