Frank finally got his dream car . . . a 1967 Jaguar XKE. But the 12-cylinder, 3-carb engine wasn’t even beginning to perform as advertised. It sputtered, smoked, pinged, and knocked. Frank thought he was smart. After spending almost his last penny to acquire this beauty, he scrimped by buying the cheapest low-octane gas he could find . . . and wondered why all the motor trouble.
Marcy dreamed of being a svelte model with men lining up to ask her out. She gazed longingly at her stack of Elle magazines, coveting the well-proportioned bodies featured within. Then she would step on the scale and see the needle zoon some one hundred and fifty pounds past a healthy weight for her body frame . . . following by diving into a half-dozen double chocolate glazed doughnuts, with ice cream on the side.
For anything to work properly, it must be fed the correct fuel. Jaguar XKEs spit and sputter when fed low-octane gas. The human body responds by storing immense quantities of fat when fed huge amounts of sugars and fats daily.
So it is with life. It’s the old Native American story about the wise grandfather telling his grandson that there are two dogs fighting inside each person, a good one and an evil one. When the grandson asks what determines which dogs wins, the grandfather says: “The one you are feeding the most.” And I would add: feeding the right food.
Our physical bodies, our mental processes, and the spiritual dimension of individuals all need nourishment. Questions: What am I feeding my body, mind and spirit? Am I intentional in cultivating health in each area by making intentional decisions about what is needed and good for them? The well-being of the whole person depends on attending to all of these needs. Neglecting any one of them and/or choosing the wrong fuel will most likely lead to a sense of incompleteness and unfulfillment.
