Punch You In the Face

I'm taking this straight from the book. I loved reading this segment (pages 127-128):

I didn't quite know what to think as my pastor walked up to the podium with a bottle of wine and proceeded to pour a glass. Just about everyone shifted in their seats while he let the shock of the moment settle in. Really settle in.
Seeing a bottle of wine on center stage in a Bible Belt church just doesn't happen. Ever. We drink grape juice for communion.
He then asked us to stand for a reading of God's Word, which was the passage in John 2 where Jesus turns the water into wine. The point of his sermon was to clear away some cultural debris- taboos about drinking wine- so that we could see what the Bible really says and accept it as part of the larger truth of God's Word. It was a mighty fine sermon full of verses that dispelled the myths that the wine Jesus filled the water jars with that day was unfermented, watered down grape juice. It was wine. Wine that Jesus Himself, who never sinned, drank.
Of course, he handled this teaching very delicately. Those who are underage or have issues with alcohol and can't have a glass of wine without being irresponsible should avoid it altogether. He also touched on not being a stumbling block to those who struggle. But again, whether or not to have a glass of wine with dinner was not the point of the sermon; the point was to know what the Bible says about issues we face every day and to apply those Scriptures to our lives appropriately.
Then he shifted gears and turned his attention to food.
Now this was an historic church-going day. Seeing wine in the sanctuary was shocking enough, but never have I heard a preacher man talk about gluttony in church. Never. And his point was brilliant. How can we stand and wag our fingers in the direction of alcohol  only to walk into the church-wide covered dish buffet and stuff ourselves sick with fried, covered-and-smothered, grossly caloric delights that buckle our paper plates and cause our stomachs to cry for antacids?
Overindulgence is overindulgence.
...It's at this point that we have to admit our issues with food aren't just little things that require us to wear a larger-than-ideal dress size. Eating in excess is a sin. The Bible calls it gluttony, which is defined in the dictionary as "excess in drinking or eating." The biblical teaching about excess drinking and eating is clear. "Do no join those who drink too much wine or gorge themselves on meat, for drunkards and gluttons become poor, and drowsiness clothes them in rages" (Provers 23:20-21). Here's another: "He who keeps the law is a discerning son, but a companion of gluttons disgraces his father" (Proverbs 28:7)

I'm going to follow that with the workbook questions (pages 114-115):

1.  What do you think would happen in your church if your pastor were to preach a message on gluttony? How would most people respond? Do you think it would lead people to change how they eat?  

I grew up in a fairly legalistic church. I FULLY identified with Lysa when she described people condemning drinking, (I was once taught that I would lose my entire good christian reputation if someone saw me with a drink on my table-whether it was mine or not) and then gorge themselves at the potluck. I've always wanted my pastor to teach a message on gluttony and I have no idea how anyone would respond. I imagine hackles rising and people saying that it isn't the same thing, and I also see people nodding their head in agreement but then putting that truth from their mind as soon as we stand up to sing the closing chorus...

2.  List two or three ways my Christian community supports or overlooks overindulgence as a normal part of life:

Oh my. In my world, overeating is a way of life. I went years without feeling a hunger pang, and I know I wasn't the only one. How many times have I said or heard someone say, "I know I shouldn't, but..." as another fry landed on the tongue. Being overweight is what we are. We've laughed at the amount of food we've eaten, we've given many blind eyes as someone reaches for another helping or is needing to buy new, bigger clothing. We offer understanding and sympathy when we declare that we are "stuffed full."

Even as my mom and I were making progress reading through Made to Crave we found ourselves laughing at all times we went off our plan to enjoy a treat. We were laughing- laughing- about blatantly sinning against God. 


That's it. That's all I have to offer for this post. I don't offer condemnation or judgement. I'm not out to hurt anyone and make anyone feel badly. I've been there. I am there. I still forget about these truths and this freedom.