But Jacob said, “Swear to me first.” So he swore an oath to him, selling his birthright to Jacob. Then Jacob gave Esau some bread and some lentil stew. He ate and drank, and then got up and left. So Esau despised his birthright. Genesis 25:33-34.
The first major disagreement for the early church was not doctrinal, it was over the distribution of food. The tension over types of food that could be eaten continued to divide the church as some were given a freedom to eat the designated “unclean” foods of the Gentiles, while others abstained. One of the hardest victories to gain over our fleshly urges is our eating choice habits. How have you gained the advantage?
On Monday, I am starting a radical departure from my eating habits. The denial of my diagnosis of Type 2 Diabetes has gone on long enough. I know that it is linked to my eating choices, but have continued to push the exceptions. (I foolishly think somehow I am different and will beat the odds will having to pay the sacrifice). Why is eating healthy such a hard action?
The fleshly “I want” desire never wants to die to the “I will” purpose. Adam and Eve failed at resisting the fruit of knowledge of good and evil as they touched and tasted it. The scripture says it tasted really good. Most of our unhealthy food, drink or drug use fall into that category. We know that it is bad for us…but it appeals to our bodies to be really good. So good, that we are willing to sell our Birthright of a healthy and whole life for which we were created.
Jesus first temptation was the Devil asking him to turn a rock into bread. The verse right before the temptation said that after 40 days of fasting, Jesus was really hungry, probably even more hungry than Esau was. This was not a question of Jesus having the power or ability to change the rock into bread, the temptation was yielding his Birthright of authority. Jesus did not take authority away from His Father. He was yielding His hunger desire to His Father for help. Jesus put the “I want to eat” under the principle of “I will always obey My Father”.
We help children mature by giving them the ability to postpone immediate gratification. This starts by not feeding them just because the cry for food. We move them to regular feeding schedules. You do have the skill set necessary to move from eating something just because “I want it”, to refusing something because “I will not do it”.
The first place of victory of the “I will’s” starts with food purchases. If you don’t buy it, you will not have it to eat. Whether you are in a grocery store, convenient store or at a restaurant there is a point in which you take action to purchase a specific type of food. At that moment, label the food in your mind. Is it an “I want” meal choice or an “I will’ choose what is best for my health? This trick helped me yesterday, as I put back a delicious looking caramel chocolate dripped popcorn dessert. I was actually in line with it as my only purchase, when I turned around and put it back. A small victory of the “I will” over the “I want”.
Jacob made Esau swear to give up his birthright before he ate. He gave up the ⅔ blessings of the firstborn for a pot of stew. What health trade are you making for the poor choices of eating? There is victory. Move to the “I will” make good choices. Tell a friend or a spouse of your decisions. Speak positively in the direction that you want to go. Follow the Holy Spirit as it will bear fruit of self-control.
I’ll check in with you next week to share how my commitment to healthy eating is going. I am praying for you as I am asking for your prayers.
Blessings Love Y’all