Read: Exodus 20:1-17 and Matthew 23:1-4, 11:28-30
Preventive maintenance is currently a hot topic on the lips of Christian physicians and nutritionists. Many years of research have gone into determining the proper vitamins, minerals, herbs and extracts needed to maintain good health and prevent disease. Wanting to be a good steward of my body, I began to pray, asking the Lord whether I needed to supplement my diet. I then listened intently to every Christian who had information on the subject, taking notes whenever something seemed to fit my need. To solidify my research, I thought it would be a good idea to pay a visit to a health food store, just to see what was on the market.
What a shock! Innumerable supplements lined the shelves: shark cartilage, Co-Q 10, chondroitin, yam extract, grape seed extract, green tea extract, cranberry extract, and on, and on, and on. To add to the confusion, there were hundreds of brands for each supplement! I don't think I have ever felt as overwhelmed as I did that day, standing in the midst of row upon row of bottles! Where would I begin? What was all this stuff, and what was it for? Which ones would suit my physical make-up? Why was something that should have been so simple made so complicated?
The Jews must have felt as overwhelmed as I did. The Lord had given Ten Commandments to Moses on Mount Sinai. Yet, as time passed the scholars of the day began interpreting what God "really" meant when He spoke these words. Commentators declare that by the time Jesus came onto the scene, the Ten Commandments had expanded into over six hundred rules and regulations! How did one sort through all of that? Jesus said that the Pharisees bind heavy burdens on the people, yet do nothing to help them carry them (Matt 23:4). In contrast, He told His listeners that what He desired for their life is easy to carry, for the burden is light.
It is foolhardy to think that every teaching on the market pertains to our individual journey. There are twelve steps to healing, ten keys to effective prayer, forty days to holiness, seven principles for prosperity, and on, and on, and on. Just contemplating the books that are available to read, the retreats to attend, the videos to watch, and tapes to listen to, can turn serving the Lord from a joyful experience into a chore. Even as I stood in the Health Food Store, overwhelmed by what I was seeing, I knew that there were supplements that were not for me. Some of them were gender specific. Others were age specific. Still others were only useful if I was exhibiting a particular disease. Likewise, trying to swallow every teaching that is on the market is unwise. Oftentimes, we walk away feeling inadequate and condemned.
We need to get back to basics, the Word of God, trusting that the Holy Spirit will open it to our understanding. Then, if further supplementation is necessary, we can rely on God's Spirit to direct us to the proper source for our need.
Prayer
Father, in the name of serving You, I have oftentimes run everywhere but to You to find the answers to life's questions. Teach me how to feast from Your Word. Then, should "supplements" be needed, guide me to whatever is specific for my life. Amen.
