The Permissible Sin

Oh man, I know I'm going to offend some people with this, though that's not my heart, intention, or motivation for writing out my thoughts here tonight.  I'm not saying I know it all or that since I'm in the midst of this I'm the queen of all wisdom.  Just sharing some thoughts...

It's just that I've been in circles where it's not talked about and truly, from experience, more promoted than anything. 

It's sad, too, because there could be a balance.  There could be so much healing and freedom.  Yet it's that elephant in the room no one speaks of, that booger in a person's nose you don't know if you should point out, the risk of sounding judgmental instead of genuinely caring.

Gluttony.

I'm calling it out because God called me out on it years ago.  He told me I was a glutton, gave me a dream about it, and smack-dab I opened the Bible flippantly one day to what I thought was just a scripture reference in my head, and ta-da, there it was, God's perspective on gluttony.

I've heard preachers talk about adultery and fornication.  Some have focused on it more than others.  Interestingly enough, they were struggling with those sins secretly, but now not so secretly...

I've heard preachers talk about money, tithing, giving, prosperity.  Some have focused on it more than others.  Again, strangest thing but they were struggling with the love of money, and to the naked eye, really not that secretly, ie gold plated jet, $2000 suits, mansions.

I've only heard one, count 'em, one preacher talk about gluttony.  I know him personally.  He is open with his love of food and how it can drive him to egg and cheese topped burgers with a side o'fries chased by a large chocolate shake at times.  He's the first preacher I've ever heard or known who has kept it real, been honest and truthful about his struggle and his pursuit of God in spite of himself.

I wish there were more preachers like him.  I wish I was more like him.  (Not the egg on the burger part...barf in my mouth a little...)

Maybe it's easier as a guy to admit your faults?  I'm not sure since I'm not a guy, but being me, and I'm a girl, it's hard to admit and air my wrongs, failures, shortcomings...sins.

I've basically grown up within a church setting, if you will.  I went to public schools but on Sundays and some Wednesdays since I was little I was involved in one way or another in church.  I saw A LOT of stuff go down over those many years, let me just say.  A LOT.  Nothing different than what you see go down on Desperate Housewives or Modern Family, or even Jerry Springer...because churches are not made up of perfect people, contrary to what we try to portray or what people outside of the church walls want to think that we think...

But one thing I haven't heard at any church pizza night, pancake feed, or ladies potluck, is that within the church walls, gluttony is not permissible.  I haven't heard it, but I also haven't heard otherwise.

No Smoking.
No Drinking.
No Drugs.
No Gambling.
No Dancing (a little Footloose, here...)
No Sex Outside Marriage.
No Skirts Above the Knee.
No you fill in the blank.

I've never heard a rant or even a peep saying, "No Seconds or Thirds."

Obviously everyone doesn't have a problem with the love of food.  Everyone isn't addicted to porn, either, but we hear that message a lot.  My point is that I think within the church, gluttony has become the permissible sin, because it's not as bad as sleeping with someone else's wife, toking the Mary Jane, or having that fourth glass of wine.  That's what we'd like to tell ourselves, but in Scripture, Jesus doesn't compare sin.  Sin is just sin.  It is what it is.

It's just food so eating too much of it or thinking about it all the time can't be that bad for us, right?

I'm sorry.  I just don't buy it.

My body was made by the Holiest of Holies.  God Almighty, Creator of Heaven and Earth.  He told me my body is a temple and that I am to worship Him with all of me. 

So, being the idealist, realist that I am, for me, part of this journey to freedom from food addiction, aka gluttony, is to confess my sin (He already knows, but wants us to admit it...), receive forgiveness and walk as a person who is healed, drawing on God's strength to view food as it should be:  a gift for strength, healing and sustenance, something that is good, from God, and mine to enjoy in health and moderation.

Isn't it interesting that the very first offense against God by man was eating something that wasn't good for them?  Profound...