Chocolate Eclairs Won’t Save You

When I was in my 20s, I had a very important decision to make when it came to food. As a single man, I could eat McDonald’s and Arby’s every night of the week, or I could learn to cook. I decided I would take the leap and learn how to make my own meals and save some money. This is when the Food Network period of my life started. It started with Emeril Lagasse and Bobby Flay teaching me all I needed to know about Cajun and BBQ cuisine. Then, it was Iron Chef that taught me how to come up with something I could make with whatever ingredients I had. Mario Batali came along to show me how to make an Italian meal the Godfather would pay for. With each new show, I began to learn the basics of cooking: knife skills, proper cooking temperatures, and how raw chicken kills everyone. These how-to shows really helped me develop into a decent cook.

I started losing interest in the Food Network due to a lot of the cooking competitions starting to show up. It wasn’t because I don’t like competition. I love competition. It was the arrogance of the judges. They turned their noses up at everything. I remember judges spitting food out because they said it was awful. I remember watching them nitpick each contestant into oblivion many times. The thing that really turned me off, though, was when I saw a grown woman cry over a piece of food. She said she was crying tears of joy…because of food. Contestants would talk about how food was their compass, the thing that brought them out of addiction, or it was their largest source of anxiety. When food gets that kind of god status, maybe something is off.

“You shall have no other gods before me.” 
Exodus 20:3

One of the most dangerous aspects of gluttony is idolatry. We turn food into something more than the fuel for our bodies that it was designed to be. The term “foodie” is used a lot these days to define what has become a generation of people who see themselves as food experts. They turn their noses up at anything that doesn’t carry complexity of flavor, and the plating isn’t exquisite. They are as consumed by the appearance of the food as they are by the flavor. If it isn’t beautiful enough to put on Instagram, it isn’t good enough to eat. Do we see the issue here? This is a stark contrast to what the apostle Paul is talking about in 1 Timothy.

But godliness with contentment is great gain, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content.
 1 Timothy 6:6–8

We are now a people who are not simply content with having food. It must be stylish, trendy, and beautiful. The flavors must be complex and bold. Gone are the days of pot roast and potatoes. We wouldn’t dare eat a can of green beans, and even our coffee must never have the word “Folgers” on the can. Also, you don’t buy coffee that comes in a can.  You don’t buy anything that comes in a can. We “must” stick our noses up in the air when these atrocities of cuisine are inflicted. 

I will admit that I fall prey to some of this. I am a bit of a coffee snob. Just ask our Sr. Minister, Jon Welch. The bigger issue here is when that snobbery becomes a driving force in our lives. When we truly love something, we can’t get enough of it. When my children were born, all I wanted to do was to hold them and be around them. To this day, I’d rather spend time with my wife than anyone else on the planet. What is one way that gluttony catches up to us? We fall helplessly in love with food. 

As I mentioned the other day, I have struggled with my weight since college. Most of that is due to the unhealthy love that I have had over the years for food. When I got married, I wanted to impress my wife and made meals that were delicious but loaded with fat, sugar, and calories. These were the kind of meals you would eat on weekends or for special events, but I was cooking them on the daily. Heavy cream and oil had become mainstays for almost every dish I made. As I packed on the pounds, I was blinded by my need to make something incredible each night. It almost became neurotic as I obsessed over what I was going to make. This is obviously not a healthy way to live.

If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.
Colossians 3:1–2

What started off as a decision to save money became an obsession that led to obesity and overspending on expensive ingredients. As I’ve said before, gluttony can lead to obesity, but it goes so much deeper. It can easily lead to financial loss, health issues, and emotional damage. When anything becomes a god in our lives, we must reevaluate the situation. Food, in and of itself, is not evil. However, when it takes on a lead role in the story of our lives, its effect on us becomes nefarious. There is absolutely nothing wrong with eating a really good meal. We just can’t allow that to become a “make or break” issue.

“All things are lawful for me,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful for me,” but I will not be dominated by anything. “Food is meant for the stomach and the stomach for food”—and God will destroy both one and the other.
1 Co 6:12–13

We can’t allow ourselves to be led by the food god. We need to have a healthy understanding of its role in our lives. Anything, if left unchecked, can become a god to us. We have to use discernment and put our faith in God alone. A chocolate eclair can be really good, but it won’t solve our problems or give us eternal life. That only comes through the bread of life that comes from Christ Jesus himself.