Weighing in on Obesity

Thirty-five percent of Americans are overweight enough to be labeled obese. Was the author of Hebrews writing to obese people when he told them they should put off the weight that was hindering their progress (12:1)? Hardly.

The rich young man who came to Jesus weighed in on his own progress, telling Jesus, “I have kept the law; is there anything I lack in order to have eternal life?” (Mark 10:20-21). Weighing his success by his religious (and material) gains, Jesus said those things were weighing him down.

Even as the Surgeon General is warning of an alarming level of obesity in America, more of our pastors ought to be weighing in on spiritual obesity. Many seemingly good activities, “things on earth,” may be weighing too heavily on our minds, hindering us from “setting our minds on things above” and “doing weightier things” (Col. 3:2; John 14:12).

Can you see the other side of suffering?

Unfortunately, many Christians see suffering as a sign that they're out of God's will—that something is wrong. But because we live in a ‘fallen’ world, we suffer. (That’s not to say that we don’t bring suffering on ourselves by our own bad choices.) But Paul gives us this principle of correlation: “All those who want to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution” (2 Tim. 3:12).

Not understanding this, many Christians try to avoid anything that causes them discomfort, even when it could be that God wants them to endure some distress for His sake. It would seem that God is more concerned with our eternal rewards than we are. “If we suffer with Him we will reign with Him;” and to do that, we have “need of endurance” (2 Tim. 4:7; Heb. 10:36).

Now you will probably never be thrown to the lions for your faith or have your head chopped off and put on a platter, but you may be ridiculed by unbelievers. Or, surprisingly, because of your single-mindedness, you may even be misunderstood and maligned by less ardent Christians. But one thing is sure: if you seek to live a godly life, you will become familiar with suffering.

Nevertheless, when you endure, you will share in the same glorious reward as Daniel or John the Baptist or Paul. The Bible assures us that our present sufferings are “producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison” (2 Cor. 4:17).

Getting Rid of that Post-Holiday Weight Gain is a "Piece of Cake"

Shortly after the New Year, a junk email showed up in my inbox that nearly shouted at me: “Too Much Holiday Food? Get Back In Shape With Beach Body Fitness Programs.” Ha! , I thought; I don’t think anyone wants to see this 62-year old body on the beach (nonetheless in a speedo)! Seriously, I’m having trouble this year losing my annual “holiday” weight gain. (The term “belly fat” has taken on new meaning!) Overindulgence in holiday treats and less time at the gym have apparently shrunk my Levi’s.

But it all comes down to self-control, which has everything to do with being able to stand against temptation. (By the way, ‘self-control’ is a gift from God that I should have already opened long before Christmas. And should have been using!)

Though there is some comfort in knowing Jesus was tempted in every way as we are, He never caved in to uncontrolled appetite—He never had to go on a diet. Why? He knew how to draw from that place of Holy-Spirit empowered self-control. So rather than setting a goal to lose 10 pounds, I should be aiming to walk in the same Spirit-empowered self-control as Jesus did. After all, how can I expect to pull down strongholds of Satan if don’t even have the strength to close the refrigerator door?

"You Need to Lose that Weight!"

Kind of a rude thing to say to someone, don’t you think!? Well, that’s pretty much what I said to one of my friends last week. But it wasn’t “pounds” or “fat” I was encouraging him to lose. It was “weight” as used by the writer of Hebrews: “let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,” (Hebrews 12:1, NKJ)

The word “weight” is rooted in the word “bend,” meaning a burden that causes you to bend under its load. Notably, this charge to lose weight is followed by a challenge to “run the race set before you” [the emphasis is personal: each of us is running his/her own race!]. You definitely won’t run well if you’re weighed down. Distinguishing between a “weight” and “sin,” the Hebrews writer seems to imply that a weight is not something overtly sinful, but something that is holding you back. That said, it does become sinful when God tells you to “put it off” (Eph. 4:22). But you don't.

So what I was saying to my young friend was this: there is something in your life that is hindering your race, slowing you down, and could eventually disqualify you. Those are serious words, but I didn’t say them—Paul did!—when he urged us to run our race in such a way that we will win (1 Co. 9:24-27).

What about you? Is there some ‘weight’ you need to lose? What prevents you from losing it?

Also, see blog post: Are You a Loser? http://dyingtoliveabundantlife.blogspot.com/search?q=loser

Every Disciple of Jesus Should Gain ‘Weight’

Most of my adult life, I’ve had to work at maintaining my proper weight. Speaking genetically, I have ‘fat genes’ (not ‘jeans’) which cannot be indulged! But as long as I eat nutritionally I am OK.

The Word of God is rich, nourishing food for the spirit and soul—promoting a spiritual vitality. Even as a person who fails to eat right can be physically weak and ill, so those who neglect to consume the Word will be spiritually underdeveloped and anemic, consequently, failing to reflect the innate glory of the new creation.

In both Hebrew and Greek the word “glory” means to be ‘heavy’ or ‘weighty.’ If someone has a lot of authority or celebrity, we say idiomatically that person “carries a lot of weight.” They have a big reputation; they are held in high esteem, honor, and perhaps majesty (kings are more ‘glorious’, more weighty than paupers). Spiritually speaking, the more we feast on the Word, the greater we manifest this innate glory. (Don't worry about eating too much; it's impossible to gain too much of this 'weight'.)

Jesus prayed He would be glorified in His disciples. How do we glorify Jesus? We bear His image (which is in us). As others see Him, they see His glory: He is glorified. Paul says we grow in this as we “behold Jesus,” and are increasingly “transformed into [His] image from glory to glory.” (1 Cor. 3:18) The question before us is this: are you feeding your ‘fat spiritual genes?’ Are you gaining in this ‘weightiness’? Can you say: I count all things loss that I may gain Christ (Phil. 3:8)?