Free food...

What would it be like to have a HUGE feast, arrayed with the World's finest dishes, and advertise it with the headline, FREE FOOD? Would anyone believe you? Would they come and join you at the table? If so, who would do so?

I asked myself these questions today after my friend, Geoff Ludlow, came in to see me about his all-you-can-eat Crab feast this Saturday (to buy tickets go to www.gorillatix.com). He shared with me that they had sold about 50 tickets for the event, but would like to have at least 100 people there. Orioginally they had hoped to host up to 400, but they can't do that now because the foods already been ordered. Still, I wondered. How do you get a large group of people to want to eat great food?

Now let me be clear, the Crab Feed this Saturday is not free and you must buy a ticket to the event to be admitted. However, as I considered the implications of my question, I was reminded of a quote by, well, some famous touring musician who said, "they pay me travel, I play for free." Hmmmm, why do we pay to do some things, see a concert, game, whatever, but struggle to support causes good and great because they don't fit into our lifestyle? I think part of the reason is convenience, part is simply not having enough time.

Which brings me back to crabs, specifically, the Crab Feed this Saturday night at Neighborhood Church. I am taking my family, well, almost. I am taking my two girls and myself to this great event (my wife is going to Florida for the week, so she can have all the seafood she wants) even though both my kids have, ummm, certain reservations about seafood in general, crab in particular.

But we WILL be going and they WILL be eating crab ... for free! Because, like that old musician I have a twist on this event, "I'm paying to support my friends and their ministry, but I eat crab for FREE!"

Fishing anyone?