Although I have heard sermons against drinking a single drop of wine many times from the pulpit, I have yet to hear a sermon about eating a 36-ounce steak. Yet gluttony is a real problem in America today.
Of course, I’m not saying that eating in itself is bad. We have already established that the world is full of good things that God has blessed us with, and food is certainly one of those good things. However, it is possible to become so caught up in a pleasure, whether food or drink, or sex or work or possessions, that we can no longer enjoy other things and would be willing to sacrifice other pleasures for the one. This could be called an addiction, dependency or weakness.
Unhealthy living, whether it is eating junk food, being a couch potato, or being a workaholic, can lead to the altered metabolism, hormone imbalance, altered brain chemistry and other body dysfunctions related to loss of self-control. God does not give us a top-ten ranking for overindulgences because any good gift can become sin.
An overindulging people
Overindulgence, as in gluttony and drunkenness, are part of the sinful nature that Paul describes in Galatians 5 (vv. 19-21), but the fruit of the Spirit, he goes on to say, “is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (vv. 22-23, bold added).
We all have our own weaknesses and obsessions – be it sugar, salt, alcohol, sports, shopping work, sex, the internet, or TV. None of us can point a finger at the other. We (because of our sinful nature) have trouble practicing self-control alone. Whatever our indulgences, vices, or additions, the only answer is self-control through the work of the Holy Spirit in us. We can begin to practice healthy living by learning moderation in all things and when to just say no.
God’s blessing of an abundance of food and drink is to be enjoyed and celebrated! He wants us to take the time to savor all the colors, aromas, tastes, and textures. He gives us those wonderful gifts because He loves us. But we are not good stewards if we abuse anything He provides for us. Unfortunately, in the last 30 years especially, we have increasingly abused whole natural food by overrefining, overprocessing, and reinventing what we eat.
