Guest Post by Stacy from Stacy Makes Cents

“And the Lord God said, ‘Go therefore into all the world and eat only organic, whole foods that are grown by local farmers who feed their animals non-GMO corn.” –Fanatical Food Christian 1:1 Uhhhh, no. Sorry, that’s not in the Bible – but sadly, some Christians act as though it is.

Hi, my name is Stacy and I’m a Christian who eats a healthy diet. But, I’ve been put off by a lot of the Christians in this same category who seem to heap criticism on their fellow brothers and sisters for not eating the same “healthy” way. “But, but, but” you yell!!!! “God said, ‘Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.’” 1 Corinthians 6:19-20

You bet your bottom He said that. But you know what? He wasn’t talking about food here – he was talking about SEXUAL IMMORALITY. I hate to tell ya, but eating a Twinkie isn’t a sexual morality issue.

I’m gonna talk straight up today about how we should be looking at food – because guess what? FOOD IS NOT A SALVATION ISSUE. Period.

 There are two extreme camps when it comes to food in the Christian world.

1. Eat it All Abraham:

Well, Jesus declared all foods clean in Mark 7:19. That means I can eat whatever I want. At a church potluck, I can gorge myself on Velveeta and Cool Whip. Please pass the Doritos and give me some of that Marshmallow Fruit Dip for my apples because they need a little somethin’ somethin’.  Jesus wants me to be happy and food makes me happy. Life on earth is so short I might as well enjoy all the Hostess cakes I can before I go to heaven to live for all of eternity. I’ll be good later and drink a Diet Coke to balance things out.

TRUTH: I seriously doubt that Jesus meant we should eat as many Doritos as our body could hold. Really. Because the Word also says, “Everything is permissible, but not everything is beneficial…” 1 Corinthians 6:12. You SHOULD be taking care of your body the best way you can with the knowledge that you have. Just because you CAN eat it doesn’t mean you should – quality of life should really be considered here. Yes, your time here is short…but do you want to spend it in pain and agony?

2. Organic Obadiah:

I should honor God with my body. In the Garden of Eden, when everything was perfect, Adam ate organic vegetables and prospered. Scientists have messed with our food chain by making food GMO (genetically modified) and if we eat it, we’re saying that’s okay with us. Stay away. Only buy organic. The Word specifically outlines what we should and should not be eating…and frankly, if you’re not following that advice, then you’re not following the Word of God. Shame on you. Haven’t you read The Book?

TRUTH: Yes, God expects us to take care of our body. But he’s not condemning us to hell because we slipped up and ate a Snickers bar on vacation. God shows us grace and He is patient with us. And he is MOST PLEASED when we show love to our brother, no matter his eating habit. Healthy food is good for you, but it doesn’t take the place of our need to rely on God for all our health and wellness. He is the author of life – not us.

So, how should we look at food as Christians? Well, I’m not entirely sure about you but this is what my husband and I have decided:

We will eat healthy food and try to eat locally as much as possible. We will attempt to eat whole foods, but don’t wig out if occasionally we slip up and have the #5 meal at McDonald’s.

But, here’s the main point: we will not reap condemnation on those who choose NOT to eat like us…and trust me, that’s most of my family. I will not give a sermon to an overweight mom in the grocery store because her buggy is full of Fruit Loops and frozen lasagna. Instead, I’ll smile at her and give her some love. And when a family member serves me up a nice big plate of broccoli covered in Velveeta, I’ll eat it – because that’s what I believe Jesus would want me to do.

There is a fine line between Abraham and Obadiah – I want to be in the middle…don’t you? I want to eat healthy, while showing love and respect to those who have not made the same choice.

“You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Mark 12:31