“Fat” is a label that many of us put on ourselves without having any help from the peanut gallery of body-shamers. We can’t hide our bad habits. We need to get to the root of the real problem. This insight about our faith walk may tip the scales in our favor: “It’s a long obedience in the same direction.”

“After fasting forty days and forty nights, [Jesus] was hungry. The tempter came to him and said, ‘If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.’ Jesus answered, ‘It is written: “Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God”’” (Matthew 4:2-4).

Jesus stayed in perfect obedience to his Father while the devil pecked at him in his hunger. It’s a food temptation only the Son of God could resist. He understands our temptation of living to eat instead of eating to live.

Jesus, Son of Man, willingly made his earthly life a long obedience in the same direction for the joy of our salvation. We, in turn, follow him in thankful, willing obedience for the same reason—that’s it!

Living a long obedience is not easy. However, it’s a process assisted by the Holy Spirit, making the experience of becoming healthier fruitful and less stressful. This lesson is followed by many Jesus people learning to eat from the mouth of God first. Let’s dine with them!