Unhealthy Appetites

Jon Hardin

I’ve been thinking about unhealthy eating.  A recent doctor’s exam revealed that my cholesterol is creeping upward and came with the warning: “You’ve got to pay more attention to what you eat.”  Well, that’s what I’ve been trying to do these past few days, and it’s made me realize something: this next month can be one of the year’s most unhealthy sandwiches—the weeks “sandwiched” between Thanksgiving and Christmas.  For many this will be like a high-calorie sandwich—stuffed with over-eating, over-spending, and over-absorption with self and family. 

In the last week Lynda and I have been vividly reminded how, while we are eating our way toward Christmas, many people remain spiritually famished during this season’s celebrations.  We recently spent the evening with Muslim friends from the Middle East, and a few days later we had a meal with another person from a similar part of the world.  It made me realize that while I am tempted to turn inward during the holiday season, there are people like these—in fact billions more—who share these non-Christian worldviews and who (whether they realize it or not) are starving for the very thing we are supposed to be celebrating during this season: the Gift of God that deserves all our thanks.

So yes, the doctor was correct; I need to watch my diet.  But not just my consumption of high-cholesterol food and needless stuff.  Even more, I need to fast from my own spiritual carelessness  I’m reminded of Jesus’ statement regarding his own appetite, when his disciples were preoccupied with getting lunch, in John 4.  On that occasion Jesus said, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work” (John 4:34).  Now that’s a healthy appetite!  May God grant us hunger to do his will and kingdom work throughout the “sandwich weeks” of Advent.