Gula

"It is a fat nation, of fat people.."
T.E. Lawrence

I find it odd that we always seem to want an out. We want to participate in "The Exception That Proves The Rule", while still holding onto our ability to berate others for violations that are often little more than personal affronts. We seem so happy to call out others indulgences of excess, but only when we can heave ourselves away from the table, wipe the stray crumbs from our mouths, swallow the last of our drink and clear our throat.

As if the excess of calories and libations aren't enough we seem to make the worst of choices in what we consume. We graze our cupboards, looking for that morsel so satisfying, and as soon as our eyes light upon a "Chocolate Frosted Sugar Bomb" we tear into it, consuming the whole thing as a starving man; which it would appear indeed we are.

We are not starving for calories or nutrition, we are starving for content. We are starving for relevance. We are starving for substance. We self-medicate with food and drink, bloating our bodies and emptying our souls. How is that different from the addict on the street or the stranger in the bar, trolling for their next fix, be it drugs, alchohol or meaningless sex? Gluttony seems to be the "Acceptable Sin" in the church. Apparently it's alright to starve our lives of meaning, but pack our bodies with worthless or excess food and drink in the name of "Fellowship", then pray for healing from our diabetes and heart disease brought on by morbid obesity.

Would that we as an Evangelical Culture would develop the same appetite for filling our hearts and souls that we have for filling our stomachs; and for once be willing to let our bodies hunger just a bit.