Today is an absolutely AMAZING celebration. But, it is one that may be fraught with danger. Maybe. I’ll let you decide.
Today is National Eat Whatever You Want Day, a celebration started by Thomas and Ruth Roy. I mentioned them in devotionals in 2022 and one on April 7, 2024. Eclectic – or eccentric – actors Tom and Ruth Roy started a company in 1986 for the purpose of creating and copyrighting holidays. To date, they have invented 80+ celebrations that starts on January 2nd with Happy Mew Year For Cats and ends on December 30 with Falling Needles Family Fest, a day to celebrate and clean up all those needles that have fallen from your live Christmas tree. They are self-proclaimed “weirdos!”
The observance of today’s celebration is simple. It’s the day to indulge the bulge. Binge to your heart’s content. Give in to your culinary weakness. Roll your sleeves up and allow the drippings of grease to trickle down to your elbow. If sweets are your thing and you aren’t diabetic, tell Krispy Kreme to reserve you an all-day table or finish off your own gallon of ice cream, packages of cookies, and tons of hot fudge.
NO GUILT! Pull out your favorite pair of sweatpants and let the feasting begin! Making it to church tomorrow will all depend on whether you are in a carb coma or can get out of the bathroom. But the misery you feel will be worth it as you wolf down all your favorite foods.
Foodies appreciate a day like this. In fact, it might excite you just a bit. But… isn’t there always a “but?” … is this a WISE thing to do? And is it a Biblical thing to do?
Proverbs 23:20-21 says, “Be not among winebibbers; among riotous eaters of flesh: (21) For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags.” We could look at this and say, “The glutton is like the drunkard. It is a LIFESTYLE, not a one-time careless abandon at the buffet.” I think there is a logical argument to that. However, we must wrestle with another verse.
Philippians 4:5 says, “Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.” We know that the Christian life is to be one of moderation and self-control.
We must be disciplined. You could say that enjoying a day of eating whatever you want isn’t very disciplined. On the other hand, we could say that it shows exceptional discipline to NOT do this the other 364 days of a year.
We need to follow this logic through in another area. This is Saturday and some of you slept in, getting some extra sleep, and are still walking around the house in your jammies – and it’s almost noon! Proverbs 6:9-11 says, “How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? when wilt thou arise out of thy sleep? (10) Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep: (11) So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth, and thy want as an armed man.”
Does this mean that it’s a sin to sleep in on occasion? Six days a week, you are up at the crack of dawn for work or church. Does God forbid us to get extra sleep once in a while? By the same token, is it wrong to go binge at the buffet, to splurge on surf ‘n turf, or to devour a delectable donut? Certainly, if this was more than an occasional food fest or a daily lounging in lethargy, the answer would be a resounding YES. If this harmed our health, then YES, it would be wrong.
But what about a special day like today? Does this violate Scripture?
Guess what…I’m not going to give you an answer, especially since I don’t have a good answer! This is probably a matter of conscience and Christian liberty. I’ll let you wrestle with this after you are fully awake and have had something to eat. Bon appétit on a good Bible study!
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