Ever since I began trying to lose a few pounds using the iPhone "Lose-It" app, I've been thinking about our culture's obsession with thin.
In our world, thinner is better.
How do you know the iPhone 4 is better than the iPhone 3? It's thinner. Same with the iPad 2. It's clearly superior because it's thinner than the original iPad. New TV's are better than older TV's because they're thinner. Same goes with computer laptops. We want thinner electronics, appliances, kitchen gadgets, and camping gear because thinner is better.
Or is it?
Our culture's obsession with thin also begs us to live thinly. The "thinner is better" myth stretches our schedules and flattens our lives. We are losing weight and getting thinner but can anyone see us when we turn sideways? Do our lives count for anything that really matters?
In contrast to our thin-obsessed culture, the Scripture invites us to live thick with purpose and meaning. The Apostle Paul invites us to stop "wasting away" (2 Cor 4:16) and begin preparing for "an eternal weight of glory" (2 Cor 4:17).
The Ten Commandments of the Old Testament are a kind of weight-gaining program for life. More than being a mere list of things to not do, the Ten Commandments are live-giving words by which we can learn to really live. Starting this weekend (August 27-28) I'll be leading us through a 10-week series on these "Ten Words to Live By." My hope and prayer is that we'll all gain some weight ("weight of glory") as we make these words our own.
Check out clpc.org for more information.
1 comment:
Hi Steve! I've been trying to lose weight, and your blog puts a different angle on it. Food for thought, and fortunately it's not the type of food that puts on weight.
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