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The Choice: You Become What You Eat

One cold day, as I was making a fire in the fireplace, a thought suddenly came to mind: “You become what you eat.” I paused and reflected on it. Was God trying to tell me something?

Just a few days earlier, my doctor had informed me that my cholesterol levels were high. He warned me that if I didn't change my diet and lifestyle, it could lead to heart disease. I needed to avoid fatty foods and start exercising regularly. Easy for him to say—but not so easy for me to do.

These days, the media is flooded with advice on how to lose weight and live a healthy life. And while it’s good for the body, the truth is: it requires discipline. Every day, we are tempted—to eat foods we shouldn’t, to buy things we don’t need, to do things that don’t benefit us, to speak words we might regret, to entertain thoughts that are destructive. Resisting those temptations isn’t always easy.

Growing up, I remember being constantly hungry because my parents couldn’t afford enough food. Now that I can finally choose what to eat, I sometimes find I still can’t—because certain foods are harmful to my health. Life is strange that way. But I’m not complaining. Today, I’m grateful that I have the power to choose what I eat—and that I can afford it. When I think of it as an act of love for my body, the choice becomes easier.

And the same is true for our spiritual lives.

God’s Word is life to us. But do we hunger for it every day? Is the Bible the first thing we reach for in the morning? Do we truly long to pray? Sometimes, yes—it’s wonderful. But other times, life gets busy. Our minds wander. We get distracted.

I’ve noticed that I rarely feel tired while reading newspapers or magazines. I can flip through pages for hours, eager to be “in the know.” But what are we really feeding our minds with? So often, the news brings stories of tragedy, violence, and despair. And after reading it all, I usually feel more discouraged than informed.

Magazines try to convince us that happiness comes from buying more, having more, doing more. But after acquiring those things—are we really happier?

Every day, we face choices:

• To eat what nourishes us—or what harms us

• To speak words of kindness—or words that hurt

• To think positively—or dwell on the negative

• To give—or withhold

• To help—or walk away

• To forgive—or carry bitterness

• To be honest—or lie

• To be thankful—or complain

• To be faithful—or not

And we also choose whether or not we will feed our souls. Whether we will read God’s Word—or not.

The enemy will give us a thousand reasons not to:

• Haven’t you already read the whole Bible?

• Isn’t it boring or hard to understand?

• Isn’t that only for pastors or priests?

• Wouldn’t it be more fun to watch TV, scroll through social media, hang out with friends, or go shopping?

But here’s the truth: all those things are fine if we’ve already fed ourselves with the Word of God—because His Word is life to those who find it.

Ultimately, it’s our choice:
Do we listen to the lies of the enemy?
Or do we listen to the God who never lies?

God said:

Psalm 1:1–3
Blessed is the one
    who does not walk in step with the wicked
or stand in the way that sinners take
    or sit in the company of mockers,
but whose delight is in the law of the Lord,
    and who meditates on his law day and night.
That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,
    which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither—
    whatever they do prospers.

If we truly listen, we will hear His voice.
He speaks in ways we can understand.
He listens—and He’s worth listening to.
He gives wisdom when we ask.
He cares about every detail of our lives.

We only need to stop, look, and listen.
Then we’ll discover that life with God is the best life we could ever choose.