Only What One Needs

“The righteous eateth to the satisfying of his soul: but the belly of the wicked shall want.” (Pr 13:25 AV)

The point of this proverb is to show the difference between the righteous and the wicked where appetite is concerned.  The righteous can be, and often are, satisfied.  The wicked, on the other hand, will always want.  Eating is not the issue.  Both do.  It is just that one knows what and how to eat while the other indiscriminately eats whatever he wants and however much he wants.  Limits are not the only issue here.  It is knowledge as well.  The righteous know what satisfies.  The wicked does not.  The righteous knows how much satisfies.  The wicked does not.  Our teacher does not regard self-control as the only principle here.  There is a desire to know what is best for oneself and then self-control makes this a reality.  This is not only true for food, it is also true for every want or need of life.

There is this doctor who does PSAs for a news service one can watch on streamed news.  He does promote his own book, hence the reason for the commercial.  But he is also freer with healthy advice without pushing his book or products than most.  His area of expertise is heart health.  He also touches on weight loss and brain health.  Since they all seem to tie together for a better quality of life, he spends about thirty seconds per ad sharing some common sense advice for those who wish to control their health a bit better.  I am beginning this process, albeit a bit too late to make a drastic difference.  But I figure it is much less costly to lose pounds than by new clothes.  It is interesting to watch these snippets of wisdom to see how much of it I am already doing.  It is also interesting to note how much of what he recommends, to older people happened to transition to, naturally.  For instance, it is better to eat more lean meats like fish than the fatty meat we love so much.  I noticed my father naturally changed his diet from red meat to more fish.  He liked to catch and eat his own as opposed to shopping for it.  A child does not naturally enjoy fish.  Unless it is tuna.  I have found I am following in his footsteps.  Eating more nuts is also a really good idea.  Walnuts and almonds to be exact.  Unless it is peanut butter, most kids don’t gravitate toward nuts.  However, the older you get, the more they seem to be a good idea.  Why?  What has changed?  What has changed is appetite and wisdom.  Over time, we learn we don’t need as much and the things we eat could help or harm.  A good steak is a treat.  But so too is stuffed orange roughy.  A pork chop done right is really good.  But so too are tuna cakes with chipotle sauce.  A bowl of custard is a delight.  But a bowl of frozen fruit and whipped cream with sugar-free syrup is even better.  It is knowledge and discipline that make the things we should consume taste better.

What is true with food is true with every area of life.  There are limits.  There are things that are better or worse.  Moderation is a good thing.  Knowing when to say no is the adult thing to do.  The soul of the righteous knows what and how much is appropriate.  The wicked simply consume until they are sick, often perishing in the excess.  The righteous do not see consumables merely as a tool for pleasure.  They see the things of life as things that are necessary for the benefit of one’s well-being.  The righteous don’t take seconds.  They know how much they need and that only have that much.  No more.  Those of us who see the things of life as meant solely to bring pleasure will have seconds, thirds, and fourths.  Moderation and purpose of life are the guiding principles here.  Does it serve a purpose and how much of it do I need to fulfill that purpose?  Those are the questions we should be asking.