Who doesn’t love a good order of fries and a milkshake? The sweet and salty together just seem to override the senses and take full control of your will power. You can’t stop! You’ll finish the very last bite and sip. It’s not that you’re hungry for all of that, it just tastes good. However, later in the day you’ll probably remember why you shouldn’t have finished them off. They don’t exactly settle well in your stomach and sometimes can even make you sick. So in light of this, why do we go back and repeat this pattern? It’s our flesh! Our flesh, conditioned by this broken world’s system, is programmed to want things that aren’t good for us. More importantly, what about our minds? What are we feeding our very souls? More than food is to the body, what we take into our minds literally feeds our thoughts and actions. Take a little inventory. Are you on a steady diet of God’s goodness? Do you possibly have some room for improvement? I think if we were honest, we all could probably put down the social media scene a little more and maybe feed ourselves some healthy news. Just food for thought (No pun intended!).

“Your eye is like a lamp that provides light for your body. When your eye is healthy, your whole body is filled with light. But when your eye is unhealthy, your whole body is filled with darkness. And if the light you think you have is actually darkness, how deep that darkness is! (‭Matthew‬ ‭6‬:‭22-23‬ NLT) Whoa! This is a major challenge straight from God’s Word. Basically, it’s saying that our eye is like a window into the body. What we open the window to is going to let in light or darkness. It’s then going to produce healthy or unhealthy actions and reactions. This is big! I ask myself, what are the things grabbing my attention? What or who am I looking at possibly comparing myself to? Am I focused on the “shiny” things of this world or am I more concerned about learning the things of God that are going to make a healthy environment for me to live in? Lots to think about with this one!

“Come to me with your ears wide open. Listen, and you will find life. I will make an everlasting covenant with you. I will give you all the unfailing love I promised to David” (‭Isaiah‬ ‭55‬:‭3‬ NLT). This is a promise from the Lord Himself. He’s telling us, in order to find life, we have to listen to Him. Not the news. Not social media. Just Jesus! He has the very words that bring life. When life gets complicated, and it will, who or what are you going to let speak into your life for major decision making? Everyone’s got an opinion. There’s information at your fingertips via the internet. What is best for you? Do you fuel the fire or do you work to extinguish the flames? God has a way for us to deal with life and the world has its way. 

Basically we have two choices on how to handle our situations. We can get God’s perspective and stay in peace and light or we can do things the world’s way and create more problems for ourselves. Our flesh says, “let them have it. They deserve it!” Our spirits say, “show grace and receive grace.” One way is easy, but unhealthy. The other way can be difficult, but in the end, is extremely healthy. 

It’s hard to eat healthy food all the time when so many options are staring you in the face. Junk is easier. It’s also the cheaper way out. But our bodies weren’t designed to thrive on junk. Healthy food is more costly but produces better overall health. The same goes for our souls. Garbage in, garbage out. We’re created for better than this. Taking the road less traveled can be difficult and costly at times but God Himself will reward you. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need (‭Matthew‬ ‭6‬:‭33‬ NLT). This is the right recipe. This brings life. We’ve all heard the saying, “you are what you eat.” Stand out as a person of light, full of God’s goodness. Don’t settle for the world’s junk food.

Today’s writer is Brandi Crowe. A hairdresser for over 25 years, she is currently the owner of Brandi Crowe salon in Buford, GA. She loves hiking, a good cup of coffee, and spending time with family and friends. Brandi lives in a custom farmhouse with her husband Robby and cat Harold.