“The Sin We Graze Over.”
The Lunar New Year is filled with fun and food with family and friends. This is when I am reminded of some thoughts regarding gluttony. If there was title to this it would be “The Sin We Graze Over.”
Some time ago I read an article where the writer pointed out the sin that church people commit wholeheartedly. Gluttony. Somehow we do not place it in the same category as murder, sexual immorality, adultery, etc. Those who sin in these do so in secret. But when it comes to gluttony, we do so openly, and we may even boast about it.
In affluent Singapore, where food is affordable, and especially fine dining, eating is an important part of our culture. We promote it, as well as indulge in it. Certainly we all need to eat, and eat well. At what point then do we eat into gluttony?
It all begins in the stomach. The Greek word translated “glutton” in English literally means “belly.” Gluttony has several regular bed-mates; drunkenness is one. Stubbornness and rebelliousness keep them company (Deuteronomy 21:20). It is more than just about over-eating. It is a lifestyle of excessiveness, or loose-living, like what the prodigal son did when he left his father’s house.
Good church going people will never see themselves in the same class as the prodigal son. However, they may be just as, if not more, indulgent. Perhaps it is even more so in our culture, where hosting a meal is unsatisfactory until the guest’s stomach is full. This lifestyle descends into further excessiveness when a lot of uneaten food is wasted and thrown away.
Lifestyle is basically about choices we make that eventually turn into habits.
As a repentant in this area, I have learned a few lessons to avoid crossing the line into gluttonous eating. To prevent having to eat a lot, it is better not to have too many dishes at the table for a start, either at home or in restaurants. Then when the food arrives, eat slowly, chewing the food and allowing time for it to digest. While doing this, put down the spoon or chopstick. Relish the taste of what is in your mouth. Sip tea or other drinks in between. It takes some time for our stomachs to feel full, some say about twenty minutes into a meal. When that happens, take only what is good to taste and leave the rest for the others to enjoy.
For fast living Singaporeans, we can gobble our meals in ten minutes, before the “fullness” effect has started. That is probably why we eat more than necessary, because we still feel “hungry.”
Another way is to fast. But that is for another article.
A happy, prosperous, and healthy Lunar New Year to all.
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