I’m not much of a foodie or a fashionista. My cooking style could be described as, “Throw it in a pot and see what happens!” And my fashion sense might be laughable to those “in the know.” Yet these are popular trends in modern culture. So it’s a good thing John the Baptist is no longer around!
And John was clothed with camel’s hair and wore a leather belt around his waist, and his diet was locusts and wild honey (Mark 1:6).
John the Baptist didn’t care what he looked like or what he ate. Unlike most of us, John didn’t worry about people’s opinions.
He had a freedom that most of us lack.
And Jesus applauded this attitude in Matthew 6:25
“Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?”
Yet where do we focus?
Madison Avenue and the fashion industry periodically bid us focus our attention on clothing. Without fail the colors and fabrics change, as do the lengths and widths of skirts, jeans, ties, and lapels. And we feel obliged to conform.
Meanwhile, the nutrition aficionados set new noshing guidelines every few years. The pendulum swings from eating abundant protein and low carbs, to plenty of whole grains, to absolutely no gluten – each contradictory theory touted by “the experts.”
Can you imagine what they’d have told John?
“You’ve got way too much sugar in your diet! And are those organic, non-GMO locusts?”
If we fixate on the fickleness of fashion, we’ll dutifully follow the Priests of Style and worship at their altars. Then we’ll repeat the seasonal drill when they roll out the newest styles, regardless of the time and cost.
We behave in a similar way regarding what we eat, believing that what we put in our mouths will make or break us. Jesus addressed this as well.
In Matthew 15:10-11, He explained to the crowd that it’s not what they put into their mouths that would defile them, but what came out of their mouths, i.e. out of their hearts.
We can eat all the “proper” foods, but if our hearts harbor anger, unforgiveness, self-pity–those things will harm us!
Everyone needs clothes and food. God loves you! And as the Creator, He enjoys creativity, even in how we dress and what we eat.
He is not a killjoy.
But He wants us to value our inner life more than our outward life.
Do not worry then, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing?’ For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you (Matthew 6:31-33).
