Religion is kind of like a diet but…

Religion is like a diet but following Jesus is a lifestyle. Its that time of year when people start thinking about losing weight but planning to do it after the holidays. People will look around to find the perfect diet and there are many to chose from. There are diets that are low carb, diets that match your zone, and even diets that come on the back of your cereal box. Each of these diets has rules to follow to help the dieter get to his ideal physical self. In the same way, there are many religions to choose from. People choose a religion to help them get to their ideal spiritual self. They may choose their religion because that is what they grew up with or all their friends are doing it. Some take more work, some take less. Some have more rules; some have less just like diets. And just like diets they work to an extent but they never seem to be the perfect fit.

On the other hand, most good dieticians such as my sister would say that in order to lose weight and keep it off, you need to adopt a lifestyle of eating healthy. Choosing the right foods becomes a way of life. Saying no to certain things isn’t really so hard when it becomes a part of who you are. It is not a rule. It is just something that you do. On a grander scale, following Jesus is a lifestyle. It is saying yes to some things and no to other things not based on some rule in the bible but because that is who you are with Jesus. Following Jesus is saying yes to life and no to self. Following Jesus is about a friendship not a checklist. Following Jesus is lifestyle I want to have. This lifestyle is modeled in the bible by the disciples and Paul but can also be found in the biographies of many missionairies. Each day is an adventure and full of suprises but also filled with God’s presence. That is the place I want to be this Christmas season.