Overweight Christians

I wrote this several months ago but was to afraid to put it on my blog because I didn't want to offend anyone.  The title sounds so harsh to me so I've let it sit. Then I rediscovered it in a computer file I don't usually open (along with several others I haven't finished yet). It's just to good to let it sit in my computer. I need to stop being afraid and share it with you anyway. How ironic, that by withholding this, I made myself an overweight christian. Forgive me Lord for being a people pleaser and withholding what you shared with me.

Several months ago I heard the words overweight christian whispered in my heart as I was in the middle of deciding whether I was hungry enough to eat the PBJ I just made. It certainly got my attention and I began listening closer to what the Lord was trying to say to me. The Lord began to teach me what He meant by those words.

In America we are blessed to have an abundance food available to us. With this blessing, as with all blessings, comes a responsibility to use it correctly and with balance. It is evident in America that there is a growing problem of obesity. The pressure is enormous to stay looking thin and beautiful. Between magazines, movies, television commercials, even radio commercials it's hard to miss the mold the world says you should fit into. There are fad diets, exercise programs, pills, and health warnings among a multitude of other things to try to get you into shape as soon as possible.

Recently I saw this issue in a new light. In America we are also blessed to be able to go to any church or bible study any time we want without fear of harm or putting ourselves in danger. If you're not able to go anywhere there are sermons and seminars on T.V. or the internet. There are radio talk shows that help us with our walk with Christ as well as an overwhelming amount of books. You can find teachings on pretty much any subject out there. These are truly a blessing. Again, with blessing comes responsibility.

We need teaching. We need knowledge. We need to be informed on things, especially on the things of the Lord. Now that we've taken in these teachings, what are we to do with them? We eat physical food so our body has energy to live and move and function properly. We also take in spiritual food to give us spiritual energy to move with the leading of the Lord and to live according to God's way.

Yet when we take in the Word of God then do nothing with it, that knowledge sits there and is not a help for us or anyone else. It becomes stored in our spirit man waiting to be used. If we continue to not let God's Word put us into action, to not examine ourselves and change our hearts or ways according to what God is telling us or if we keep our hands from serving and feet from telling the Good News of Christ, then that knowledge compounds over time and make us slothful and sluggish in our walk with Christ. It can even make us hypocritical, judgmental and legalistic just like the Pharisees who do the actions but have no inward change or result. This is what is meant by the overweight Christian.

Just like being physically overweight the antidote is exercise. Exercise for the long haul, for a lifetime. Consistant and continuous. It's a lifestyle, not just a choice for the moment. Although little choices added together can make a lifestyle.

Just like with any good exercise program you should start by visiting your Dr. When checking with our Great Physician He will tell you exactly what you should and shouldn't be doing. He knows what you've taken in and how to use that efficently. He knows what you haven't taken in and therefore what you can't do at this time because you have yet to learn it. Each of us has a special plan and purpose outlined for us and we need to go to Him to receive instructions. He has your individual plan ready and waiting for you.

Even though our plans are individualized we are all in this together. Having an exercise buddy, also known as an accountablity partner, would be of great help to you.

What we really want is to have strong hearts for the Lord. Hearts that are serving and producing fruit. Hearts that are being doers of the Word and not just hearers of it. Others can see if we are doing this by how we are living our lives. When they know you are for real and doing what the Word says, they to will be inspired to live in accordance with what the Lord has shown them. This gets the blood in the body of Christ flowing. It also decreases tension because you aren't being hypocritical. People know you are true to the Lord.

As we continue to move in the opportunities the Lord gives us, our muscles will get stronger. We will develop a deeper relationship with the Lord and our influence will be greater. All the while remembering we are doing this for the Lord and no one else.

Like the people in Wall-E who got large enjoyed their food and sat in their hovering chairs, they lost their ability to walk. They were so blinded by luxury with their virtual TV right in front of them and robots to wait on them. They didn't even know they had a pool or jogging track. They didn't even realize who was sitting next to them. Their victory came when opposition came and their captain made a choice to get up and take it step by step. So our victory will come when we chose to walk step by step. No longer blinded to the gifts God has given us. No longer oblivious to the wonderful people right next to us. Small as those steps may be in the beginning before long, with strong muscles, we'll be running the race set out before us.