Is not life more than food?

In Matthew 6 Jesus asks the rhetorical question “Is not life more than food?” (Vs. 25) The answer is yes, life is so much more than food. You will hear of people on their death bed express regret “I wish I spent more time with my family”, you will not hear of people on their death beds saying “I wish I had eaten more cheesecake.” However, so much of our lives revolve around food, and we hold so much importance to it. It seems that every holiday, birthday, social gathering, church event and vacation revolves around food. We know in our hearts that life is more than food, but at times our actions speak differently.   

Food is a necessity to sustain life and it is also a blessing that can bring happiness. However, food, like many things that God gives us as a blessing, when overindulged in can become destructive. Biblically speaking, eating is viewed as sin when we are gluttonous. “Do not mix with winebibbers, Or with gluttonous eaters of meat.”(Prov. 23.20) Food can also become an issue when the desire for food controls us. Speaking about eating and drinking, in 1 Corinthians 6 the Apostle Paul states that he will not be brought under the power of anything. There are times when we know that a certain type of food is bad for us or when we cannot exercise the self-control to not overeat that we allow food to overpower us. This is not in accordance with God’s will for us.

I do not think that diets are the answer. Counting points or cutting carbs does not address the spiritual problem.  Most diets are a brief attempt to drop 10 or 20 pounds. How much you weigh is not necessarily a spiritual problem. People who are thin and have high metabolisms can be just as gluttonous as people who are overweight. I believe the answer is found in the Lord’s question “Is not life more than food?” Many people, including myself, look to food too much as a source of joy and comfort. When stressful or difficult times occur do you run to God or to Ben and Jerry for comfort? Our problem is that we often use food to bring the joy and comfort we should get from our relationships with the Lord. The answer the Lord expects from us is, “Yes. Life is more than food. Life is about God and enjoying Him forever.” When I understand in my heart that food is a blessing from God but that I am not supposed to depend on it as my source of joy and comfort, I am less likely to overeat. When I know that God has given me the power of the Holy Spirit and I can have the self-control to not overeat, I can rely on His power to not be brought under food’s control.