The Most Expensive Meal in History

Did you hear about the expensive meal at Burger King in Palmdale,
California? George Beane ordered two Whopper Jr.s and two Rodeo
cheeseburgers when he pulled up to the drive-through window. The cashier
forgot that she had entered the $4.33 charge on his debit card, and she
punched in the numbers again without erasing the original ones -- creating a
total bill of $4,334.33! The electronic charge went through to George's
checking account and left him penniless.

It was promoted as "the most expensive meal in history." That seems a
little extreme to me. I'm sure there are many other meals which have
brought a higher tab than that. But, I would like to cast MY vote for the
most expensive meal in history.

In the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve ate some fruit which turned out to
be extremely expensive. It cost them their home in the Garden of Eden. It
cost them their relationship with one another. It cost them their
relationship with God. And additional costs have been passed down to every
man and woman who have lived on the face of this earth ever since.

The truth of the matter is that sin always has consequences. We play
games in our mind and try to deny it because we like to play with fire
thinking that we'll never get burned (even though everybody else has). We
like to flirt with sin thinking that "I can do this and it won't hurt
anything" but it always does. Sometimes, like Adam and Eve, sin affects our
relationship with others around us -- husbands, wives, children, parents,
church family, friends. And sin always affects our relationship with God.
And if our sin remains unforgiven, it can cost us our eternal home. It's a
high price to pay for a few moments of selfish enjoyment.

Listen to this warning from James: "When tempted, no one should say,
'God is tempting me.' For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt
anyone; but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged
away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin
and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. Don't be deceived, my
dear brothers." (James 1:13-16)

Don't be deceived! Partaking of sin will result in a bill far greater
than you ever could have imagined. Even greater than the cost of burgers in
California these days.

Alan Smith