Tomorrow evening (June 3rd) celebrity Chef Jamie Oliver will appear on ABC for the third episode of his second season of FOOD REVOLUTION. If you haven't seen the show, don't feel bad. I haven't either. Apparently, it's not the greatest success as a TV series. But ... BUT ... the CONCEPT really got my attention last year and has had me thinking ever since.
Here's the idea: Jamie believes we are killing ourselves and our kids with WHAT WE FEED OURSELVES. We are eating JUNK! No surprise, I guess. But he's absolutely right. I'm guilty too, but we put serious GARBAGE into our bodies! So ... Jamie Oliver is promoting the "FOOD REVOLUTION" -- a call on America to change ... to REVOLUTIONIZE what we eat. More natural produce; less processed, fatty, chemical-laced trash. Jamie says: "Our kids are growing up overweight and malnourished from a diet of processed foods, and today's children will be the first generation ever to live shorter lives than their parents. It's time for change. It's time for a Food Revolution. This Food Revolution is about saving America's health by changing the way people eat. It's not just a TV show; it's a movement for you, your family and your community."
Okay, so here's what I'm thinking: having concern for our physical health is great. It's commendable. But I'm even MORE CONCERNED about our SPIRITUAL HEALTH! And quite frankly, we continually feed our souls loads of GARBAGE! We think that we'll be fulfilled by having success and having some accomplishments to show off (all type-A's, take note!). But success and achievements are not real SOUL FOOD. Neither are friendships. Or alcohol. Or having a nice house or kids that behave ... or whatever else we try to fill ourselves up with. You're not going to be filled up because your favorite team wins the championship. Ask Tom Brady. He won the Super Bowl three times in four years with the New England Patriots. But he still hungered for more. AND HE WAS THE QUATERBACK OF THE TEAM!
What I'm saying is that you won't find the answer to that deep longing in your soul by finding just the right guy/girl ... by getting just enough money in the bank account ... by getting noticed because you said the right thing, did the right thing, or whatever. The secret is not getting your spouse to change or finding a better job. The secret is not in shedding more pounds or in pushing your kids to accomplish more than you did.
A famous Christian leader of the late-4th century, Augustine, once wrote of God: "You have made us for yourself, and our hearts are restless till they find their rest in you." Perhaps with that in mind, the 17th-century philosopher Pascal wrote: "What else does this craving, and this helplessness, proclaim but that there was once in man a true happiness, of which all that now remains is the empty print and trace? This he tries in vain to fill with everything around him ... though none can help, since this infinite abyss can be filled only with an infinite and immutable object; in other words by God himself."
What Jamie Oliver says about FOOD, I say about SOUL FOOD: we've got to stop feeding ourselves TRASH! Our spirits are malnourished because we try to fill up on success, stuff, sex, and all other things that can never fully satisfy. We need to fill up with Jesus!
Paul to the Philippians: "I consider everything a loss ... RUBBISH, that I may gain Christ and be found in him" (3:8-9). Jesus: "Man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of God" (Matthew 4:4).
What do you think?! Comment below.
I am so glad that you are blogging - thank you for sharing your words urging us all to be what God called us to be - filled with Him and His Spirit. Nothing else can satisfy.
ReplyDeleteRemember the song "Jesus Love is a Bubbling over"? When I read your blog I agree 100% with staying in scripture and filling your heart and soul with the words of Christ; however once you are "bubbling over" with the Love of Jesus Christ you need to share the effervesence with everyone around you. You can't keep it inside and that to me is the Revolution part. Thanks for the food for our Soul.
ReplyDeleteNo question, Cathy! My point is just that we have to be FILLED first in order to share. I see way too many (myself included at times) who have nothing to offer because they tried to fill up on other stuff and not Christ. He is the only One who satisfies! "Soul Revolution" is about turning from all the other "fillers" to seeking the One who makes our cup overflow.
ReplyDeleteThanks for joining the discussion, Cathy!