Based upon John 6:24-35
Greed and gluttony are two words that come to mind as I monitor the media these days. There have been many reports about the percentage of the population from the developed countries who are overweight. I am tempted to add my voice to this group. But being overweight myself might be marked as the height of hypocrisy if I did not mention it. Mentioning my own state of health only emphasizes the intrinsic nature of the situation. It is generally accepted that being overweight is a sign of gluttony. While not all overweight people are gluttonous, most are.
Is gluttony a sin? If sin is the act of harming oneself then gluttony qualifies. If it is a sin to desecrate oneself (the body being a temple to God) then gluttony qualifies.
But what is gluttony? Overeating is the common cause attributed to gluttony. But this is not an essay on the ethics of dieting. I am more interested in the relationship between gluttony and greed.
Greed is another one of those values that carries negative connotations. Most would categorize greedy people as sinful people. All the major religions call greed a vice.
‘Greed’ is wanting more of something than one needs or requires. The question is how much is enough. Some would categorize ‘greed’ as wanting or taking more of one’s share. Eating more than one’s share at the dinner table would be an example of greed. Others would claim that eating more than one requires for survival at the dinner table would qualify as being greedy.
The difference between the above two definitions is the difference between gluttony and healthy eating habits to most people. Presenting more food at the table than is needed for the healthy survival of those present encourages gluttony. This is the problem faced by people who are fortunate to have more than enough resources to live comfortable, healthy lives.
Is it possible to take the analogy of gluttony to a greater, more general application? To want or desire more than one needs or requires for a comfortable and healthy life, I think can be viewed as a type of gluttony. In most cases in our world, there are barely enough resources to sustain the world’s population even if evenly divided. This principle holds true for all resources required for survival – not just food. Notice the word ‘survival’ instead of ‘comfortable and healthy life.’
If causing other to suffer because our ‘gluttony’ of resources is a sin, then there are a great many of us who need to follow what Jesus requires of us.
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©Copyright: July 27, 2009 J. Lemert Whitmer. All rights are reserved. This document is for your personal meditation or to use with your congregation during worship. You may share it with your friends and colleagues. Any other use of this document requires written permission. For more information, e-mail lemwhitmer@notesofthought.com