Gluttony seems to be a sin that Christians like to ignore. We are often quick to label smoking and drinking as sins, but for some reason gluttony is accepted or at least tolerated. Many of the arguments used against smoking and drinking, such as health and addiction, apply equally to overeating. Many believers would not even consider having a glass of wine or smoking a cigarette, but have no qualms about gorging themselves at the dinner table to the point that they feel like they are going to explode. This should not be!
One of my friends who is a kitchen manager-Butler from Royal palace tells me there were times after Royal dinner, the left over rich and lavish food items were thrown into the sea and not allowed to be eaten by His starving subjects.
Proverbs 23:20-21 warns us, “Do not join those who drink too much wine or gorge themselves on meat, for drunkards and gluttons become poor, and drowsiness clothes them in rags.”
Proverbs 23:2 proclaims, “Put a knife to your throat if you are given to gluttony.”
Physical appetites are an analogy of our ability to control ourselves. If we are unable to control our eating habits, we are probably also unable to control other habits such as those of the mind (lust, covetousness, anger), and unable to keep our mouth from gossip or strife. The ability to say “no” to anything in excess-“self-control”-is one of the fruits of the Spirit common to all believers (Galatians 5:22).
God has blessed us by filling the earth with foods that are delicious, nutritious, and even pleasurable. We should honor God’s creation by enjoying these foods, and by eating them in appropriate quantities, while controlling our appetites, rather than allowing them to control us.
Hunger
Do you know what hunger is, if not fast and (pray) one day, you will know for sure.
Try to imagine what it would be like if you were hungry and no food was available. None. Your body starts to feed on its own fat and body tissues. If you don’t eat for a long time, you may lose about 50 percent of your body weight. Your skin becomes thin, stiff, pale, and cold. Your hair becomes dry and sparse and falls out easily. After about 8 to 12 weeks without food, you starve to death.
Starvation caused by famine is the most serious form of hunger. There are millions on this planet who hunger.
Remember, these people don’t live on another planet. These are your neighbors. We need to look after one another.
Once one of my preacher friends shared me about an incident. He was privileged to have a “dinner” with mother Theresa when she was in kerala. It was some rice and dhal in a plantain leaf. After eating mother noticed my friend left over few grains of rice on the plantain leaf after finishing the meal. She scolded him lovingly of wasting precious few grains of rice which can feed a hungry child.