Deadly Sin and Heavenly Virtue
*omit if not age-appropriate
“For the drunkard and the glutton come to poverty.” Proverbs 23:21a
“He who keeps the law is a wise son, but the glutton's companion disgraces his father.” Proverbs 28:7
Gluttony is not being able to control yourself - whether it is eating, drinking too much or allowing yourself to be guided by what you feel. It is also the desire for obtaining more than you really need. In other words, it is being self-indulgent.. It is also worshiping your things too much, making them idols. It can apply to toys, television, entertainment, *sex or relationships. Instead, we should obey the First Commandment of "having no other gods before Me, the Lord, your God."
Have you ever heard yourself or others say
- Super size it!
- I just got to have that
- I might as well have a third one because I want to enjoy myself
- Fat genes run in my family so I can’t help how I take care of my body.
A glutton can never get enough to fully enjoy and it can harm your soul as well as not be healthy for your body.
While gluttony is about being a slave to something, the virtue of temperance brings freedom. Temperance is having balance or moderation in what you do and how you live. You must have moderation in all aspects of your life. For example, moderation in your speech would be to not gossip or tell stories that aren’t true or hurtful to someone. There’s moderation for your eyes, not looking at indecent and inappropriate things. What about moderation for your temper by managing your anger and not bursting into flames at someone? It is having the will power to stop since you want to honor the body God gave you instead of turning into a fat slob.
We live in a world that tells us that if feels good, it must be good for us. Just because it may fill our senses with a thrill, it does not always bring us the best of circumstances. Instead of consuming too much or focusing on things that give us pleasure for only a moment, we should practice temperance. True pleasure is found through awareness and appreciating the practice of moderation and self-control.
You can try to strengthen your will and the ability to control yourself with God’s help. You may be too concerned about what makes you feel good that you forget the ways of God. You need to make a point to leave room for God instead of filling your life with too much so God can be your reason for living. We must also put your own wants and needs aside for the good of others.
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ReplyDeleteForgiveness is the key to happiness.
ReplyDeleteHere is the answer to your search for peace. Here is the key to meaning in a world that seems to make no sense. Here is the way to safety in apparent dangers that appear to threaten you at every turn, and bring uncertainty to all your hopes of ever finding quietness and peace. Here are all questions answered; here the end of all uncertainty ensured at last.
The unforgiving mind is full of fear, and offers love no room to be itself; no place where it can spread its wings in peace and soar above the turmoil of the world. The unforgiving mind is sad, without the hope of respite and release from pain. It suffers and abides in misery, peering about in darkness, seeing not, yet certain of the danger lurking there.
The unforgiving mind is torn with doubt, confused about itself and all it sees; afraid and angry, weak and blustering, afraid to go ahead, afraid to stay, afraid to waken or to go to sleep, afraid of every sound, yet more afraid of stillness; terrified of darkness, yet more terrified at the approach of light. What can the unforgiving mind perceive but its damnation? What can it behold except the proof that all its sins are real?
The unforgiving mind sees no mistakes, but only sins. It looks upon the world with sightless eyes, and shrieks as it beholds its own projections rising to attack its miserable parody of life. It wants to live, yet wishes it were dead. It wants forgiveness, yet it sees no hope. It wants escape, yet can conceive of none because it sees the sinful everywhere.
The unforgiving mind is in despair, without the prospect of a future which can offer anything but more despair. Yet it regards its judgment of the world as irreversible, and does not see it has condemned itself to this despair. It thinks it cannot change, for what it sees bears witness that its judgment is correct. It does not ask, because it thinks it knows. It does not question, certain it is right.
Forgiveness is acquired. It is not inherent in the mind, which cannot sin. As sin is an idea you taught yourself, forgiveness must be learned by you as well, but from a Teacher other than yourself, Who represents the other Self in you. Through Him you learn how to forgive the self you think you made, and let it disappear. Thus you return your mind as one to Him Who is your Self, and Who can never sin.
A Course in Miracles