“Why spend your money on food that does not give you strength?
Why pay for food that does you no good?
Listen to me…” – Isaiah 55
This post picks up on my latest column for Wake Forest Today. It was published Thursday and, as often happens, I took a look today and found – even though I’d written it myself – a paragraph that challenged me enough to make me want to go deeper.
The subject was cooking, and how much I enjoy the process of preparing, sharing, and consuming great food. Then I wrote this:
There has also been this signal realization that the move from “good-enough” to “excellence” is a principle with broad applications in our lives as whole people. It has not escaped my notice that junk food fails to really satisfy; and, likewise, junk living leaves us empty, disappointed, and undernourished (Embracing the Gourmet Life).
“Junk food fails to really satisfy; and, likewise, junk living leaves us empty, disappointed, and undernourished.”
REFLECT: I don’t want to presume to offer a list of activities, values, or priorities I deem “junk living” – I think that’s a determination best made via self-reflection, on a case-by-case basis. But I would like to challenge my readers to think seriously about the idea. Because, just like the contents of our pantries and refrigerators, the choices we make in terms of intellectual nourishment and spiritual food impact our quality of being, and our spiritual health.
A while back I stood in the check-out lane at my local grocery store. Behind me stood a women with her cart loaded with food. She looked at my 25 or so items, then back at her overflowing cart.
- I smiled at her. “How many kids at home?” I asked.
- “Three,” she replied. “4th, 6th, 8th grades… You?”
- “Empty nest,” I said.
- Again, she scanned the two carts and shook her head. “I guess you spend a lot less at the grocery store now?”
- “Not really,” I responded. “Better food.”
She was loaded down with corn-dogs, fries, Twinkies, ice-cream, potato-chips, white bread, soda, cookies, pizza and other foods. My cart sported fresh vegetables, decent cuts of meat, fish, ingredients to make dinner from scratch, and a couple of good bottles of wine.
COME & EAT! So let me pass the closing thought over to the prophet Isaiah, who shared so many amazing words that pointed directly to Jesus:
“Is anyone thirsty?
Come and drink—
even if you have no money!
Come, take your choice of wine or milk—
it’s all free!
Why spend your money on food that does not give you strength?
Why pay for food that does you no good?
Listen to me, and you will eat what is good.
You will enjoy the finest food.
“Come to me with your ears wide open.
Listen, and you will find life.
I will make an everlasting covenant with you.”
Thanks for giving me ‘food’ to think about….
Good food need not be expensive ! (Especially Without the wine !)The children in Britain were healthier during the war with meager rations , but healthy food !!
It is sad how far we have deviated as a nation from all that God has freely provided for us. I guess it is because, although it is all free, there is more required from us in order to obtain the blessings. It costs us labor, time, and/or money to either cultivate or to purchase the natural foods and to prepare the meals. The funny thing is, the more we get into healthy living, the more we enjoy and appreciate the whole experience.
Hi, Love your headings! I’m new to blogging and looking for followers.
Thanks! I took a look and “liked” you…
Thanks Derek, I’ll be exploring faith in these next few weeks.
Thanks! I have been doing the Daniel Plan for awhile now. I read the book, and really got into it. When I go off it, I so feel it. I was away a few days and was not able to cook my own food, and had to do some unhealthy stuff. My stomach felt it. Now that I am back, I am back on it and feel so much better! People always told me it would be more expensive, but like you, I find it is not! It may even be cheaper as I go to farmers markets and grow my own herbs in planters in windows, and I have a big pot of lettuces on my deck. Nice blog!
Great comment. We had a large group at church do the Daniel plan a while back. Life-changing
Thanks for this post! Recently, i have started eating healthy as well -more veggies and fruits, less junks. My reason for this: we are only made stewards of a physical body thus we need to take care of it wisely.