As a young girl, 7 years away from driving age, I would count the dotted lines on the country roads. You know--- the dots that tell you that you are allowed by law to pass the car in front of you.
Versus the solid yellow line (in America at least) which says uh uh --- do that and
YOU IN TROUBLE.
Versus the solid yellow line (in America at least) which says uh uh --- do that and
YOU IN TROUBLE.
And I would mutter to myself "That's unfair !"
when (in my interminable - it - seemed trips with my father to the Big City)
a slow car was in front of him but he couldn't pass
because the dotted lines were on the OTHER side of the yellow line.
I'd get really (really) miffed, because the other side got 14 dotted lines,
but when it was "our turn", we would get only 6 dotted lines -- and the car in front
would be going too fast to pass in that short a distance, Dad would say.
Now you presumably know -- or else this Diet Parable is going to miss its point!---
that the dotted lines DO give "permission" to pass, of course. But only
on parts of the road that are straight enough -SAFE
to see traffic coming the other way.
to see traffic coming the other way.
Those limiting solid yellow lines
tell us when it is *DANGEROUS* to pass.
In my immature thinking, all I cared about was fairness
to my little personal self.
All I wanted was what I-ME-MY wanted, which was to
hurry up and get home, and make cars coming the other way give US a "turn."
Sometimes I do the same immature thinking in dieting. I think,
It's unfair that a single brownie has 300 calories
while 4 cups of green beans have 120. (I'll bet lotza people are nodding to this!)
Sometimes I think,
It's unfair that one itsy bitsy can of cream soup with plain old milk added is
one-fourth of my allowed calories for a diet day.... and we won't discuss the salt in it.
I think,
It's unfair that I can't "enjoy God's World of Food" like other people do ---you know, those annoying people who can eat anything without gaining weight
while we "normal people" gain weight watching the Food Channel at the gym ---
Or else we suffer health consequences.
What does DIETING have to do with road dotted lines?
1It didn't matter that I thought it SHOULD be safe to pass as often
as cars coming the other way could pass..... and
It doesn' t matter whether we THINK what we do is safe....
Faith that gravity will give you a break if you jump off the second floor balcony
will lead to false faith that gives you a break.... prayerfully no more than a small one.
2
God's encouragement to take care of our body -- our temple --
is for our protection. He knew about good vs bad cholesterol before any doctor did.
(First Corinthians 6:19-20; John 2:21 about Jesus, and Luke 12: 23-24 BY Jesus).
GOD'S ENCOURAGEMENT
PSALM 4: 3 TO END (New Living Translation)3 You can be sure of this: The LORD set apart the godly for himself. The LORD will answer when I call to him. 4 Don't sin by letting anger control you. Think about it overnight and remain silent. Interlude 5 Offer sacrifices in the right spirit, and trust the LORD. 6 Many people say, "Who will show us better times?" Let your face smile on us, LORD. 7 You have given me greater joy than those who have abundant harvests of grain and new wine. 8 In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, O LORD, will keep me safe"
3a - God notices when we CHOOSE to follow His Way, including in small things like food choices.
3b - God will answer when we pray to Him for help.... or Thanks!
4 - We get in trouble -- including overeating -- when we let anger control our choices.
5 - Dieting is indeed a type of sacrifice to our LORD -- if we CHOOSE to make it a gift to Him.
6 - Many people turn to something or someone else for happiness, but
7 - only God, not even people who could give what we think we want, can give us true joy.
8 - Despite our sacrifices -- no, BECAUSE of them -- we rest. Only God can keep us safe.
And repeated "sociology experiments" across decades have shown that those who trust God
do indeed tend to sleep better and have more peace in their lives. PRAYER
Father God, please help me to give You a sacrifice that is pleasing to You.
Please help me prepare myself to think and act in ways that are acceptable to you ....
a living sacrifice. For You truly deserve far more than I can give... By your mercy, please change me to be as You would choose. This is MY choice that I pray to You.
Romans 12:1 NKJV. "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, [which is] your reasonable service."
©2013 DianaDee Osborne; all rights reserved. But feel free to print with copyright info, & share for nonprofit usage!
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