Life’s Shopping Cart

Having been a Type 1 insulin dependent, diabetic for over fifty years I have to make decisions every day which involves doing what I need to do to stay healthy. If I mess up, even the slightest bit, I can do damage to my body. Just about every physical, mental, or emotional problem diabetics face can be traced back to the improper care of themselves. For instance I have come very close to dying several times because I have taken too much insulin or have waited too long to eat. My diabetes has damaged my kidneys, my eyes, my memory, my emotions, and the nerves in my feet my hands. However, I am blessed that at the age of seventy none of these problems are serious. Even though I have made many mistakes, my doctor says I am doing exceptionally well.

I rarely go grocery shopping, but when I do I never go down the candy aisle, or stop to look at the bakery displays. I don’t need to venture past the area with chips or any junk food lest I be tempted to buy things I should not eat. All of those food items, plus many others, would eventually kill me if I made a habit of eating them. I am thankful that I have refrained from eating foods that are no no’s for people with diabetes, whether it is Type 1 or Type 2.

In a sense all of life is a shopping trip involing going down various aisles where we are faced with making decisions that will help us to be well rounded healthy individuals or cause us to be very unhealthy as far as our spiritual condition is concerned. We must decide, as we push our cart down these aisles, if we are going to put in the junk offerings we are tempted to purchase, or if we are going to go after only the wholesome and righteous choices which are available to all of us. The problem we face is that the bad, unhealthy choices are usually displayed in flashy, beautiful packaging that is so tempsously appealing. Most don’t consider how damaging they are since they look scrumptious and at first taste so good.  Unless our minds have been renewed daily, and our hearts have been filled with God’s Spirit, we will grab the junk and toss it in our shopping cart instead of the wholesome bread and water based items which give us strength to live a God honoring life.

At the end of life’s shopping trip what will your cart be filled with. I want my cart to be overflowing with items that will be fit and pleasing to present to the King of Kings.