I love food.
So much.
I dance while I eat. Not even joking. Food brings me so much joy.
Licking the bowl at the Chocolate Museum in Antigua, Guatemala
So whether you eat or drink, or anything you do,
do everything for the glory of God. — 1 Cor. 10:31
I have never included eating in the concept of “everything". It makes my heart sing to think I get to glorify God by eating.
I think He smiles when I celebrate having arroz con leche for supper, when I savor the taste of melted m&ms in my salty popcorn, or when I thank Him in front of most of my high school for the cheesecake being served at prom.
The existence of taste buds proves to me that we were meant to enjoy and experience food. We could have been given roots to absorb nutrients from the soil, but we are not plants for a reason.
And then I got to Guatemala.
I think He smiles when I celebrate having arroz con leche for supper, when I savor the taste of melted m&ms in my salty popcorn, or when I thank Him in front of most of my high school for the cheesecake being served at prom.
The existence of taste buds proves to me that we were meant to enjoy and experience food. We could have been given roots to absorb nutrients from the soil, but we are not plants for a reason.
And then I got to Guatemala.
Day one: Rachel delights in her rice and beans.
Day two: Rachel eats most of her rice and beans.
Week two: Rachel fills up on bread and skips the rice and beans.
Day two: Rachel eats most of her rice and beans.
Week two: Rachel fills up on bread and skips the rice and beans.
I struggled with the food situation this month. Sometimes I would walk away from meals still hungry. Other times I would leave full but not satisfied.
When we got a different meal from the usual, I would eat as much as I could in hopes that the hunger would take longer in returning and I wouldn’t have to eat as many beans later.
I was becoming a sort of a glutton. Food was my favorite topic of conversation, and I craved sweet foods, healthy foods, any foods except what I was being given to eat. My body was in constant physical discomfort, whether from hunger or from trying to digest the carbo-load.
God is not glorified in the extremes. Undereating, overeating, strict healthy diets, eat-whatever-you-want diets. These are not glorifying, they are unhealthy. These scenarios give food too much power.
I had given food too much power. Power over my mood, over my actions, over my ability to put others first.
The joy, and the glory, that God asks for comes when the delights of eating are acknowledged as a blessing and not an expectation or a curse.
Food is food. Some of it tastes good. Some of it takes a special person to eat. Some foods offer more nutrients than others, but in moderation anything can be enjoyed. I am a firm believer that Reese’s peanut butter cups should be delighted in once in a while.
If you find joy in drinking a spinach shake, then by all means, delight in that. Give credit to the Grower of the spinach.
I can glorify Him by delighting in different textures. By acknowledging unique smells. By being satisfied in the meal set before me.
I glorify Him by eating healthy but not letting an unhealthy meal ruin my joy or the joy of those around me.
I glorify Him by living in moderation, knowing that everything is permissible but not always beneficial.
And I glorify Him by desiring Him above all else.
Even the Triple Chocolate Meltdown served at Applebees.
Some food we have eaten:
Tamales
mystery seafood…
bread
treating ourselves to crepes
