Your Diet and the 6th Commandment

Is Your New Year's Resolution to lose weight this year? It is important with any type of lifestyle, one must glorify the Lord. We should live out our lives the way that Lord Jesus Christ meant for it when he sacrificed his own for the forgiveness of our sins. Why then do we torment God's temples (our bodies) such as we do when we are on diets or living our daily lives?

The 6^th Commandment states "Thou Shall Not Kill". It is understood by all Christians that one should not kill another since it would be against this commandment. Why then do we sit day in and day out tormenting our own bodies? Is it not the same to say that some of us are killing our bodies by what we eat or what we do not eat? Is it not the same when we are sitting at home eating calorie after calorie, gaining so much weight that it is endangers our health. Likewise, is killing another person not the same as when continuously starving oneself and/or binge eating?

God has given us one of the most important tools that one could ever give someone, that tool is 'love'. Not only should we love one another but we should love ourselves. God's spirit lives within each one of us; hence, loving ones body is loving the sanctuary that holds the Lord. The image that is brought to mind when this thought comes to mind is that of the Japanese festivals during various times of the year. Many of you have seen the common scene of Japanese men wearing merely nothing except a wrapped "diaper" ("fundoshi" in Japanese) sort of clothing and a band around ones head ("hachimaki" in Japanese). These brave men carry the shrine and/or temples that encase a deity and/or object that were once owned by a deity. For Christians, not only do we uphold the beauty of our churches but we should also carry our bodies as temples above our heads day in and day out. Now, I am not saying that one should wear a "diaper" and headband daily, rather care for ones body as one would care for his/her church.

Getting caught up in the number on the scale, competing in a weight loss competition, or even following a very strict schedule is nice and will definitely help you lose weight. Unfortunately, one can get lost in the true meaning of life and forget that losing weight is not all about a number or your position in a competition. Rather, the most important thing to remember when losing weight is God. Our purpose on life various but the main thing that every person should remember is that our number one duty is to glorify God. Once we have this in place, weight loss will become easier.

The main point of losing weight should not be a competition, nor should it be to look better in ones swimming suit come summertime. Rather, the main point is to honor the temple that God's spirit lives within and to better do the work that one was put here on earth to do for God.

So as you are working towards accomplishing that New Years Resolution to lose weight this year, keep in mind that your ultimate goal in life is to serve and glorify God. In addition, remember 1 Peter 4:7 of the bible, "The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers."

Extra Readings:

Proverbs 23:20-21; Proverbs 25:28; Galatians 5:22-23