So many times in my life I've blamed food for being the bad-guy.
I know better than that, though. It's not the food's fault. It didn't fly at my mouth and peg itself to my rear-end. I chose to take in too much of it. In college I worked for McDonald's and I remember thinking it was ridiculous that anyone would sue the restaurant for making them fat. In some way, though, I've played the blame game, too. I mean, isn't it easier to play the victim than acknowledge that I am the culprit?
I few months ago I started doing a Bible study on God's perspective on food. The topic that I looked at was that God is the creator of all food and (everything on earth fitting for nourishment is permissible - even ice cream). Below is just a little bit of what I found.
Genesis 1:29-30
Then God said, "Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the surface of all the earth, and every tree which has fruit yielding seed; it shall be food for you; and to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the sky and to every thing that moves on the earth which has life, I have given every green plant for food"; and it was so.
Genesis 2:9
Out of the ground the LORD God caused to grow every tree that is pleasing to the sight and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
Genesis 9:3
"Every moving thing that is alive shall be food for you; I give all to you, as I gave the green plant."
Mark 7:18-20
And He said to them, "Are you so lacking in understanding also? Do you not understand that whatever goes into the man from outside cannot defile him, because it does not go into his heart, but into his stomach, and is eliminated?" (Thus He declared all foods clean.) And He was saying, "That which proceeds out of the man, that is what defiles the man."
So, it's not the food's fault. Jesus said that nothing that goes into me defiles me, only the ungodly things that come out of me. I think one of the ugliest things to come out of me in my practice of gluttony is jealousy. The Lord has shown me that I've been very jealous of those thinner than me and of those that can eat whatever amount of food that they want. I know the Lord is trying to teach me about balance in my own life. My focus is on Him and on me. I'm not to compare myself to anyone else. Some days it's tougher than others. :)
2 comments:
Yvonne,
My jaw just dropped when I read this - I have recently written about my repentance from a 17-year bondage to bulimia. God restored me, and renewed my mind with His Word. Getting His perspective on how we're to view/use food, view beauty, etc. Was key. What a spot-on, insightful post!! Praise God!
Oh yes, I forgot to mention: idolatry is at the root of all food issues, as well. Being thin can be an idol, as can the food itself. Martha Peace defines an idol as 'anything you want badly enough that you're willing to sin in order to get it'.
Do I hear an 'amen'?
Post a Comment