It seems that food and money have been a priority in my life as far back as I can remember. I used to save all my nickels and dimes up to go to the candy store. I was oblivious to the fact that they sold groceries there. I had saved up a significant amount of money and planned to buy lots and lots of candy with it. Having all that candy wasn't enough for me. I wanted everyone else to be in awe of me, so I invited my siblings and the neighbor kids with me to the store.
I had almost a full lunch sack's worth of candy and I was flaunting it BIG TIME to my "following". I gloated as I handed each of them a measly penny candy and kept the rest to eat in front of them. For my first piece of candy, I took out one of the extra long candy bars. As I drew attention to what I had and they didn't, I took a bite. Well, God saw what I was doing and wanted to re-direct me. Was I ever shocked and disappointed that with my first bite, my tooth came out and hurt so much that I couldn't eat any more of the candy bar.
When I took the candy bar with my tooth sticking in it to show my parents, they told me that I couldn't have any more candy and needed to divide that candy with my "following". I was so upset!!! I had saved up for that big bag of candy, not them, and that wasn't fair!!! The candy and the money I had lost had become too important to me. I wasn't being a very good example of how God works in my life as I walked down the street gloating to my "following".
When I write this, it makes me think of how, as and adult, money and food still become too important too me. I have goals to save toward my retirement account, but do I really share as much as I should with the needy? As a Christian, God wants me to be open to sharing my resources with others, so they can buy food for their families. I should give willingly and not grudgingly like I did when I had to share my candy. "Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver:"
Since I have used this Bible passage as an example of how God has positively influenced my overeating, this does not necessarily reflect the whole meaning of the verse.
