Submitted by: Jeni Kopp
After a recent trip to visit family, I had the chance to spend time with my youngest niece, Madison, who is the age of nine. I took her on a small shopping trip followed by lunch at a local pizza parlor.
While we were enjoying the all you can eat buffet of pizza, salad, bread sticks, and cinnamon twists, I decided to take the opportunity to get to know her a little better.
“Hey, Madison, what do you want to do when you grow up?” I asked.
“Well, after I get done doing all my other jobs, I want to go on a diet and become a super-model,” she answered.
Mind you, my niece is as tall and skinny as they get so I was a bit surprised by her answer. I smiled, nodded, and refrained from laughter, and then questioned further.
“But, you really seem to like this pizza, how do you think you will like dieting?”
While dipping her pizza in ranch sauce she looked at me and replied, “There is a diet on T.V. that says ‘Eat all your favorite foods and still loose weight.’ That’s the one I will be on.”
How was I to argue with logic like that? After her fourth or fifth piece of pizza and countless bread sticks she had finally filled the last bit of her hollow legs and we left.
On my way home from the visit, I remembered her words, and this time I allowed myself to laugh. However, her honest answer brought this to mind: how often do we as Christians want to benefit from the blessings of living with God, but also want to keep our “favorite foods” (in most cases habits of sin) and still expect to see the dramatic outcome of a life changed? No sacrifice necessary, just results! How often do we want to walk in the light and enjoy God’s joy, mercy, grace, victory, and forgiveness but still hang on to our pet sins? Diets won’t work unless you put forth the effort to stick with them. Going to the extreme and over doing any weight loss plan will also be damaging and self-destructive. If we want to loose weight and keep it off, we have to put in the hard work and self-discipline it takes, and if we go about it the wrong way we end up doing more harm than good. Our spiritual walk is the same way.
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” Hebrews 12:1 (NIV)
So dear sisters, may we look deeply into our lives and ask God to reveal the things, the “favorite foods,” which are hindering us. Let us not search for something that looks and tastes similar, but may we feast on our Lord. In the same sense let us not over do it, and become over zealous for self-righteousness, for we will soon give up.
Dear God, help us as we strive to make our spiritual bodies fit for the race you have called us to run. Grant us strength, wisdom, forgiveness, and mercy in all areas of our life. Your reward is great and your sacrifice is unmatched, thank you for your promise and for your example. It is because we love you we pray this in your name, Jesus. Amen!
It’s “Spring Cleaning” time around my house and I like thinking about spiritual parallels.
