I am not entirely against this. It’s just . . . I’m not entirely FOR it either.
Do you remember this scene from The Incredibles (2004)?
Helen: I can't believe you don't want to go to your own son's graduation.
Bob: It's not a graduation. He is moving from the 4th grade to the 5th grade.
Helen: It's a ceremony!
Bob: It's psychotic! They keep creating new ways to celebrate mediocrity, but if someone is genuinely exceptional...
While it may be progress to eat less junk food today than yesterday, it may or may not be something to applaud. If, at the end of the day, I evaluate my success or failure solely on the quanity/quality of food I ate, I miss something. My focus is off! I celebrate the wrong incident.
Worse . . . I sell myself short. I miss out on something better – a relationship with my Creator. I’m celebrating mediocrity.
It’s not the physical act of eating better today than yesterday that is worth rejoicing over.
Eating better than Joe next door isn’t cause for merriment. That’s not the plumb line.
Instead, let’s jump up and down
- when we walk after the Spirit
- when our wills line up with God’s will
- when we are surrendered to the Holy Spirit
The results are better eating habits and a genuinely exceptional relationship with Christ.
Now THAT'S worth celebrating!
2 comments:
That is interesting to think about Barb...I will give it some thought. Of course I agree that the things of the Spirit have such surpassing value that there is no comparison with the two. But to celebrate the small victories...maybe it depends on how big the celebration. :) If it's just being happy with the eating change you have made, like maybe not putting those little things into your mouth that you used to think didn't count, then I definitely think that is worth stopping to "celebrate" because a wall is built with lots of little bricks!
Molly,
Thanks for your comment! Glad the post causes you to think.
I agree there may be cause for celebration. I think it depends on your focus, especially over the long haul.
If our small victory is Spirit-led, celebrate! But typically, we are still very focused on the issue. "I can't eat that . . . I can't eat that . . . I can't eat that . . . Yey, I resisted." That type of thinking (focus) usually leads to setbacks and celebrating mediocrity.
If God asks us to eat a particular way and we surrender to His will and in His power resist the temptation, that is worth celebrating!
It's not an outward difference, but an inward one.
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