The Sanctifying Grace of God and Seven Deadly Sins Series #6: Sanctifying Grace and GLUTTONY: The FIFTH of the Seven Deadly Sins THE SEVEN DEADLY SINS AND THE SANCTIFYING GRACE OF GOD: Sin#5: GLUTTONY What is gluttony? Gluttony is the sin of over-consumption. The Latin terms means greedy eater, to gulp down or swallow... Gluttony is not obesity, nor is it the over-consumption of large amounts of food. To be sure, many people over-consume and because of it, are sometimes obese. But this does not mean they are gluttons. Gluttons may be thin and fit and eat only small portions. What all gluttons have in common is an immoderate attention to or desire for food; a continual urge to indulge oneself beyond the point of their need and limit. [Steve DeNeff, Saving Graces: Living Above the 7 Deadly Sins, p. 114] Filipinos love to eat. Cell groups love to eat. While it is an asset to our culture, it can become a stumbling block as well. Our love for eating, whether we like it or not, may encourage gluttony. Eating and dining habits also tend to encourage gluttony. Gluttony is encouraged when there is unli rice, buffet and eat all you can restos, upsized value meals, go large or biggie meals and bottomless drinks. Descriptions Of Gluttony According to Steve DeNeff, gluttony can take a variety of forms. [DeNeff, 114-117] These are: a. Super Sizing- This is simply eating more than we need. By super-sizing we are upsizing our orders often at the suggestion of another. When ordering we are being encouraged to go upsize, biggie or large when in truth it was not what we intended nor wanted to order. By adding more pesos, we are made to believe that we are getting a deal, when in reality we do not need the upsize. Then, we are “forced” to finish a “larger” size of a meal. b. Grazing- The online dictionary defines grazing as 1] eating a variety of appetizers as a full meal or 2] eating snacks throughout the day in place of full meals. “Grazing is snacking frequently so that at the end of the day, you consume more than you need. Grazers will pick away [little by little] until the whole bag is gone, yet convince themselves since they eat only small portions. The adage is true- once you pop you cant stop. And when you cannot stop- even if you do it little by little, it is still gluttony. c. Branding- It is seeking more sumptuous foods, meaning developing a taste for certain brands. Having preferences that become our standards- when we wont settle for anything less- we have sold our taste buds to the marketers. Here, we become victims of the brand or the kind of food; It is not drinking coffee unless it is Starbucks, or not eating chicken unless it is KFC, or soda unless it is Coke. d. Scarfing- It is having a ravenous desire for food, eating too quickly, too eagerly. This is further aggravated by a “fastfood culture”, “instant” food system. It can be described as eating too fast in order to make sure that he does not run out of food. Scarfing is hurried eating that discourages meaningful conversations and fellowships which comprise any typical meal. e. Special ordering- It is being overly particular with the manner a food is prepared, cooked or presented. Gluttony that is characterized by special ordering demands that a food be prepared a certain way to be consumed. Now unless it is medically required, or due to allergies, then by all means make special orders and avoid certain foods. Sometimes however, we are simply being stubborn at not eating chicken because it is not fillet, or unless fish is deboned, or unless olive oil is used. Question for reflection and discussion Which of the five descriptions of gluttony do you find true to you? In what ways does it manifest in your life? The roots of gluttony Read Genesis 2:8-9 Genesis 2:8-9 reveals two possible causes of gluttony. First is unbridled freedom. In the garden, God made all kinds of trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food. There were many food to choose from and Adam and Eve had this freedom. Yet their freedom chose to eat what was forbidden. Here we see something that is essentially true about gluttony: gluttony is eating what is forbidden. Second is the spirit of ingratitude. Adam & Eve focused more on what they desired and wanted. They were blessed to have many kinds of fruit bearing trees to choose from. So rather than be thankful for what they had, they became fixated on what they did not have. If only we will discipline ourselves to include God in our eating, we will not likely fall into gluttony. How the sanctifying grace of God teaches us to say no to gluttony The sanctifying grace of God enables us to say no to gluttony by empowering us with temperance. Temperance is the inward strength to restrain our impulses. Temperance is moderation and self restraint. It is an aspect of self control. How do we develop temperance in us? a. By learning the place of our body in the service of God. Steve DeNeff believes that “a new appreciation for our body is not that far removed from honoring God with them. So we must learn what God intended for our bodies before we will have the inner resources to control them.” Question for reflection and discussion What will you do in order for your body to honor God this week? b. By the practice of confession. Like the rest of the deadly sins, “gluttony thrives on denial.” A sign of denial of gluttony is making excuses and defending our excessive eating instead of confessing them. To some, [some say that women tend to find this a very sensitive topic to discuss] talking about this is very difficult. Question for reflection and discussion What typical excuses do you hear or make to justify overeating? c. Fasting coupled with feasting. “Fasting and feasting in regular cycles is what allowed people in the Old Testament to enjoy their food without becoming slaves to it. God-ordained, scheduled feasts were the way they enjoyed God’s bounty… [A] rhythm of fasting and feasting would develop in us self- control. By using such periods already in the Christian calendar [Holy Week], by abstaining from certain foods on certain days, or by devoting a day per month to fasting and prayer, we could begin a discipline of self-denial that may spill over into other areas of our lives.” [DeNeff, 124-25] Question for reflection and discussion How can you incorporate the practice of fasting in your lifestyle or even in our cell group meetings? Maybe we can regularly schedule cell group meetings for fasting & prayer? Let us discuss. Closing Question What impact did our lesson on gluttony have on you?
Posted on: Sun, 14 Sep 2014 00:34:01 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015