A Free Gift and a Homeless Man

The early hours of this morning found me in the dining room of an Augusta, SC McDonalds restaurant.  Hoping to take advantage of free internet to catch up on some work, I sat down in the back with my breakfast combo and computer.  Halfway through my hashbrown, the lone man in the booth in front of me asked the time.  This sparked a conversation that I wasn't really sure I wanted to have, after all, I was really looking forward to spending the next four hours knocking some stuff off my digital list. 
Not to be rude, I asked a few polite questions in return, only to learn that he was obviously homeless, and a little messed up.  I asked him how he ended up in the place in life he was today, and he said, the short version, "Shit Happens" but I will tell you the longer version if you have the time.  Realizing my digital productivity was now shot in the hiney, and silently laughing because once again, my days NEVER go according to MY plan, ever, I invited him to join me at my table, and I pushed my unwrapped sandwich toward him. 
Here's the intriguing part....
He pushed it back and said, "I am watching my girlish figure."
Inwardly, I thought, "Good, I was really looking forward to that McGriddle!" but I didn't take it from the bag, I simply pushed back across the table, and reminded him that he had just shared that he slept on the streets last night, and his debit card balance was negative.  I decided at that point that my sandwich, that I paid for myself, was now a gift that I would offer freely to him. 
We talked about odds and ends over the course of the next two hours.  Multiple times he would try to return the sandwich to me, saying he didn't want to cheat me of my breakfast.  Multiple times I reminded him that it was my gift to him, and I would be honored if he would eat it.  He wanted it, he was hungry, but guilt would not let him take the goodness that was freely offered.  He then proceeded to bargain with me, "I will go get a knife, and we will split this sandwich, and both have some!" 
"No, that entire sandwich is yours." 
"I can't take this sandwich, I am afraid of what I will have to do to pay you back."
"That sandwich is a gift from me to you.  A gift does not require repayment.  Please enjoy the sandwich."
"I feel guilty.  Why did you give me your breakfast?"
"Because you need it."
"I can't eat this now!"
"That's fine, keep it with your stuff until you can.  You will be hungry again."
This was the cycle that repeated itself in between rabit trails of conversational topics. 

There are so many other details about these hours that I could share, but I will close with what really stood out to my as I drove away....We treat God that way...
"I can't take what you offer God! I am ________ (insert excuse here).
To which God simply leaves the offer on the table, He doesn't take it back.  He never will.
"Can't we negotiate God?  Can we do this a little my way, and a little yours?"
"No.  This is my gift to you."
"I feel guilty.  I can't take your gift!  I am afraid of what it will cost me!"
"It doesn't cost you a thing.  It is a gift."
"Why did you offer this to me?  Why would you leave Heaven, and submit yourself to the limitations of humanity? Why would you suffer and die a criminals death when you were not guilty?
"Because you need it."
"I can't take this gift now!"
"That's fine.  It's still available for you when you can.  You will need it sooner or later."
And there it sits, God's Gift to You.  What will you do with Jesus?