Some rational thoughts on being overweight

Ohhh... the crosses we must bear at times. They can be quite humiliating.

Okay... what am I talking about? I am speaking in half jest here of the minor "problem" that I have with my physical weight.

I have a minor goal in life of weighing about fifty pounds less than I do right now.

Why is that? Am I not in on the current movement in our society to normalize obesity?

I must be honest with you in that I am not. I do, however, get the spirit of the push to ease the shame and guilt factor associated with one's largeness of being.

I really am just looking at it from a health and well-being standpoint and saying that I don't want to unduly multiply the physical crosses that I must bear with the health concerns that being overweight brings with it.

This has little (personally) to do with shame or guilt. Believe me I love to eat and indulge at times and unfortunately have little sense of moderation about it at times. I am merely saying that I don't want to deal with the negative consequences of being what is in my opinion (and based on the findings of physical health science), too heavy.

I have experienced physical pain and loss due to ill-health and I want to do everything within my control to avoid piling it on unnecessarily.

Anyway, I just feel better when I am lighter. I hope you can respect that.

Note I am not referring to feeling better as far as shame and guilt go.

Believe me, I feel little shame nor guilt for being overweight at this point in my life. I know there have been contributing factors that I had little control over.

There are many people much greater than I that have achieved far more as people while being overweight than I will have even talking about such trivial matters.

I am a Christian though. Be clear of that fact. And it is possible to over-indulge in food at times.

How does that not have to do with shame and guilt you may ask? Am I not talking about the "sin" of gluttony?

I will just say that, in my opinion, the FIRST thing that I and our society must do to address all the ancient (and quite modern) sins is to seek to relieve the shame and guilt that the devil uses to in fact keep us enslaved to them.

I know that may seem counter-intuitive regarding these negative responses, but it is in fact quite true for me. I contend that one of the main weapons the devil uses to keep us chained to a particular vice is in fact an overactive sense of shame and guilt that may result from them.

The abuse of shame and guilt to deal with ANY sin is the work of the devil meant to keep people, and society chained to his death trap.

I will stop there.

I will just say in closing that I do, however, take my overweight-ness to be a challenge that the Lord has laid before me to respond to. Hence the word responsibility. It is something that I must deal with within the reality of my relationship with Christ.

Why would he do this? The same reason he lays any challenges before us, that is to demonstrate his great love, mercy, and grace to us directly in a personal relationship.

I will also conclude again with the statement that I just prefer to be lighter and healthier than not.

God bless us and help us fight obesity without resorting to the devil's tricks (abusive shame and guilt) that merely help keep people enslaved and deprived of further knowing our greatest Friend and Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

My most humble (believe me) opinions as always.

God blesses those that turn to him in times of trial and triumph!