Everywhere I look, I see that we are all settling into the traditions and expressions of the fall season. I see this, and I understand: We all want to enjoy the colors and symbols of the beautiful fall season! I see this, and I don’t understand: Why would anyone want to buy Halloween candy when Halloween is well over a month away? Yes, I know we Christians can have differing views on the acknowledgement and celebration of Halloween. Some choose to ignore it to avoid evil influence. Some choose to participate to leverage it to make a positive impact. And some of us find benefit in buying that Halloween candy well before the date when the selection is wide and varied. Those snack size treats can be stored away and used as a great portion control strategy for enjoying some treats in moderation throughout the year. But whatever we personally choose, it doesn’t change this fact: We will face a large and prominent Halloween candy display every time we go to the grocery store, drug store or discount store between now and October 31st. For those of us who face the temptation to overindulge, it may be a set up to stumble! For those of us who tend toward overindulgence of sweets at this time of year, the more Halloween candy we see, the more we are likely to buy. The longer we have Halloween candy in our house, the more likely we are to eat it and then buy more. In Matthew 5, Jesus has something to say about stumbling. When speaking of the sin of adultery and the lust that accompanies it, He said: If your right eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell. Matthew 5:29-30 Regarding the application of this passage, a few very important points need to be made:
It is also important to remember that gluttony, like every other sin, cannot be detected by just looking at someone on the outside. As Jesus clarified earlier in Matthew 5, just because we don’t see a man commit adultery (vs. 28) or murder (vs.22) doesn’t mean these sins are not hiding in the heart or lurking behind closed doors. Likewise, just because someone is not obese does not mean that this person is free from the sin of overindulgence and gluttony. I can personally attest to this! When it comes to the sin of overindulgence and gluttony, there are many ways that we can be set up to stumble. But we can overcome that trap by taking to heart the principles outlined in this passage of scripture.
When it comes to the temptation to overindulge in Halloween candy this time of year, here are a few adjustments that I plan to make in my life to avoid stumbling:
What about you? How will you deal with the temptation of Halloween candy that will be with us for the next month and a half? What will you do to keep yourself from stumbling beyond moderation and into overindulgence? If you have a question or comment about this blog post or any other information on this website, please click here. Comments are closed.
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About the AuthorHello! My name is Ginger Hill and I am a Christ follower and a n employee wellness professional. I am passionate about helping myself and others to live a healthy lifestyle and I believe that good health is essential in helping us to do the good works that God has called us to do. Because I am a work in progress, I write these blog posts to encourage myself and I share them with others in the hope that they may be encouraged as well.
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"But the godly will flourish...Even in old age they will still produce fruit; they will remain vital and green."
Psalm 92:12,14 (NLT)
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Psalm 92:12,14 (NLT)
All Contents Copyrighted © Ginger Hill and Good Health for Good Works 2017-2022. No part of this website or any of its contents may be reproduced, copied, modified or adapted,
unless otherwise indicated. You may share this website by any of the following means:
1. Provide a back-link or the URL of the content you wish to disseminate.
2. Quote extracts (with context) from the website with attribution to www.goodhealthforgoodworks.org