The Good Stuff

Men always give the good stuff away first. Satan offers you the "pleasure" of sin first and then he gives you the "rest" of it. God gives pain first and then life.

I heard this in church tonight and right away was able to relate to it. The first thought that came to my mind was how society corrupts us into thinking we know what "true beauty" looks like. Magazines, TV shows, radio, newspaper ads and billboards all tell you how if you lost 5lbs or 2 inches then you can rock the skinny jeans. Did they tell you that losing those 5 extra pounds may put you under your healthy weight? A magazine may give a five day detox diet plan consisting of soup broth and orange juice to help you drop three sizes in time for prom. I bet they failed to mention that your energy will drop, you will manage to screw up your digestive system and more than likely crave sugary foods like no other which could lead to over eating. Those models that have such flat stomachs and can fit into any bathing suit they want to probably have irregular or lost periods which can lead to complications for future children, also meaning you don't have enough body fat to produce a cycle each month. But it's all worth it right? To wear that certain size dress? To look like the girl on the magazine cover? To be able to wear your "skinny" jeans more than once a month? What about losing your joy, your friends, your sleep, your excitement for life? How will it look to see your grades drop, your social life dwindle to nothing or forget what the true meaning of beauty is? Society may encourage weight loss and an image that is impossible to achieve but they forget to list the health complications that come with these obsessions, they forget to mention that death lurks around the corner. Satan didn't say anything about that when he was placing the scale in front of me or flashing the models across the TV screen and magazine covers. He doesn't tell us these things. We figure them out the hard way because we don't see it as a sin until what we thought was pleasure turns into pain.

Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.

Ephesians 6:11

God gives us the good stuff last. He gives us life. Eternal life with the God Almighty in heaven. How amazing is that?! Satan has nothing to offer us except pain, struggles, temptations, sin, heartbreak and death. Once we have hit rock bottom and all we can do is look up the one who will be standing there with His arm out is going to be the one who will give you eternal life. Jesus Christ.

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 6:23