A Raw Foodist "Soapbox Moment"

The symbolic name of yesterday’s advent candle at church hit me squarely between the eyes: humility.

Pastor Dan quoted from a resource saying affluence (“affluenza”) cripples/kills us by inducing dependence on more and more THINGS (“thing-i-fication”). It takes humility to recognize that consumerism competes with God in that sacred place: the human heart. How often we’re numbed by desire that relishes more and more, even if it is counterfeit. How often we limp as cripples under the weight of discontent.

During recent years I’ve confronted this mindset specifically in the area of food. In my opinion, we’re a nation of satiated gluttons who cover a multitude of sins with a convenient mantra: “Everything in moderation.” And yet moderation, like so many other things, is situational and subjective.

As an ex-bakery owner and ex-queen of denatured, chemically bleached, generic white flour and refined white sugar (not to mention frosting made of shortening that is just one molecule away from plastic – no joke), I continue to be challenged by taste buds self-trained in rampant self-gratification…and am not beyond the pull of junk food addiction. However, I’ve come a very long way toward recovery, and have learned that, like everything else, victory in this area depends on humble (there’s that word again) obedience to God. Perhaps the Christmas season is a good time to evaluate “food-i-fication” as well.

Genesis 1:29 is pretty clear that God’s original intent was for mankind to live well on raw plant-based foods found in His Garden. After the flood Noah was given permission to eat the flesh of animals (Genesis 9:3) - but I have to wonder if that was because the excessive water destroyed all the plants? Later, Daniel mandated vegetables over “dainties” and rich food offered by the king. You can find that story in Daniel 1:1-16. (I love verses 8 and 12, especially.)

People will argue that Jesus wasn’t vegetarian since He ate fish; of course fish isn’t evil. No doubt His diet was comprised of basic foods like the wheat He gleaned along the road. Surely there were no Twinkies (did you know they have a shelf life of 26 years?), let alone fried potato chips with artificial onion dip full of chemical preservatives. We convince ourselves that it doesn’t matter, that a little indulgence here and there (or even overt bingeing or gorging at “special” times) isn’t a spiritual issue. But how dishonoring to treat the bodies God gave us as if they’re toxic waste dumps, and then to ask Him to fix the cancer or diabetes or other degenerative disease that erupts in its wake! Surely food consumption DOES reflect the monarch of the heart: pride or humility.

Arrogant food hypnosis runs rampant during the holiday season. Our already-indulgent expectations about excessive gift-buying drip over into the kitchen where it’s okay to eat defiling foods. In fact it's not only okay, but expected and lauded. Please pass the cookies, fudge, and pie….the huge servings of dressing, potatoes, and gravy (of course)….and whatever else our lustful selves crave.

It takes a lot of humility in general to swim upstream, but I personally am prepared to take a serious stand as a revolutionary raw-foodist (yes, this is a real term representing a real lifestyle, one I’ve dabbled in for the past 3 1/2 years). For example, I’d love to encourage people to resurrect the morning-break-time and replace coffee and donuts with fruit, nuts, juice, and maybe hot herbal teas or Teeccino. But THAT kind of suggestion rocks the boat BIG TIME and won’t happen until a whole lot of humility shows up first.

I'm challenged to win an audience (and make a difference?) through right motives - love and personal example. With that said, I just made a batch of Green Lemonade and would be happy to share a glass if you'd like to come over for a chat. :-)