My wife will confirm that I think about food a LOT. I'm sure she gets tired of having every statement by her followed by my thoughts on how I should plant a second crop of tomatoes, wondering when I would be able to buy organic plums for jam, or trying to argue that lettuce isn't a year-round food. I try to restrain my speech, but so often I hear/see something that makes me think about food. I mean, shouldn't we give heed to what we're choosing to put in our mouths to nourish us?
Ok, so I'm a little obsessive in my head. If you don't agree with that, see my past obsessions of Pokémon, geocaching, and couponing. Inspired by two summers spent in Spain, where they boast in their regional food, over the past year or so, I've read books and watched documentaries about food, subjects such as industrial agriculture and home-grown food. I've also changed a lot of what I eat due to this information and my general concern for personal health. I've continued trying to buy organic food, and increasingly I've become much more of a locavore (eating things that were made in South Carolina). Local + organic = great food...but I'm going to try not to get on much of a soap box, even though that's exactly how we all ate before 50 or 100 years ago.
(Caveat 2: The next four paragraphs are mini soap boxes that are not essential to my overall point, and can be skipped; however, I include them because they're things I'm learning and want to share.)
The more I read or watch about what big industry/government is doing to food, the more infuriated I get. I'm reading now about how we're taking cows, which were designed by God to eat grass, and training them to eat corn. This is not natural, and it causes much disease in the cows, which the feedlot owners overcome by giving them antibiotics among other things.
I've read about how the handful of big industries have so much control over farmers by pushing them to produce more, which requires them to upgrade their equipment, which makes them in debt, which is only overcome by producing more, which is only possible by better equipment, ad infinitum. It's almost a form of slavery...farmers pushed to do things they'd rather not do, but by the time they realize they want out, they're so far in debt that they can't.
I'm becoming more and more sensitive to the link between petroleum and industrial food. Apparently, a cow raised on a CAFO (Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation), weaned off of grass and on to corn, effectively requires almost a whole barrel of petroleum when you consider growing and shipping the corn and shipping the cow to the lot. Compare this to the *zero* barrels of oil it would take if the cow were raised in a pasture, where it ate grass that was grown by the sun, rain, and cow manure. Even processed organic foods (like Cascadian Farms granola, of which I have multiple boxes in my pantry) drink the petroleum, as the different ingredients must be shipped first to the factory and then shipped to the store. I believe the statistic is that most food clocks an average of 1500 miles before it reaches our plates.
I also have seen how conventional (i.e. using chemical fertilizers/pesticides) farming is detrimental to the health of the soil, while organic farming practices only enrich the soil and help sustain the possibility of growing a variety of crops in the future.
(The semi-main point of my post begins here. My discussion of the title is still a few paragraphs down.)
And there are so many other things about which I could rant that I've been learning lately. I'm angered by some things, and saddened by others. And when I think about the fact that while I could do my part by buying locally, I can't ignore the fact that millions of others in my country will continue to buy food that is barely food, or is simply a clever reconfiguration of corn molecules. It's easy to become discouraged, so what is the proper perspective as a Christian (because any stance that I take must be weighed against Scripture) when 1) other Christians don't believe like me, and 2) I consider the seemingly insurmountable obstacle of industrial, processed food?
First, God has convicted me about what I eat, where it comes from, and how I "vote" with my money when I buy food. I've always enjoyed nature, but God has used the following Scriptures to back up why it is that I support saving the environment and whatever implications there are in my diet. Psalm 24.1: "The earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof." Micah 6.8: "[W]hat does the Lord require of you but to do justice..." Genesis 1.15: "The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it." Genesis 1.26: "[L]et [man] have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth." Genesis 1.31: "And God saw everything that He had made, and behold, it was very good." Psalm 19.1: "The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork." And then there's all of Psalm 104.
As we see in these Scriptures, the entirety of God's creation is intended to bring Him glory. He created us also to glorify Him, and part of our job is to care for that with which He has entrusted us. He didn't give us the earth to do as we pleased, but rather we need to cultivate it. And in my mind, supporting local farmers who are utilizing best practices in creating food that's good for me and for the planet (both now and in the future) is what is best as I strive to provide justice for farmers and cultivate the "garden" into which God has intentionally put me. 1 Corinthians 7.17: "Only let each person lead the life that the Lord has assigned to him, and to which God has called him."
So, having a penchant towards buying local, organic food is my conviction, but it's not necessarily others'. 1 Corinthians 8.8: "Food will not commend us to God. We are no worse off if we do not eat, and no better off if we do." This verse is not about organic vs. conventional or local vs. industrial, but rather foods offered to idols. Even so, it shows us that as far as it is under my control, I should strive to do/eat that of which I have been convicted, but if someone serves me food or eats food themselves that does not fall in line with my convictions, I should not judge them. In the end, it's just food. This is not to say that I shouldn't teach others about why I believe what I believe...as evidenced by this blog...but I just shouldn't/can't judge.
Two more scriptures along these lines: Romans 14.14: "I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself, but it is unclean for anyone who thinks it unclean." Romans 14.2,5-6: "One person believes he may eat anything, while the weak person eats only vegetables...One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. The one who observes the day, observes it in honor of the Lord. The one who eats, eats in honor of the Lord, since he gives thanks to God, while the one who abstains, abstains in honor of the Lord and gives thanks to God."
(Here's where the title comes in. Finally.)
Ok, so that's how I stand as far as me vs. other people. But what about me vs. how I perceive industrial agribusiness to be hurting the environment? How do I keep from getting discouraged when, even if I decide in my heart that corn-fed beef is bad, I know that it will take far more than me to change the face of the American diet? Here's where theology/spirituality really kicks in.
I've already mentioned that God created creation to reveal His glory, and we are responsible for taking care of it; however, sin happened. As a result, both man and nature were cursed. Genesis 3.17-18: "And to Adam [God] said...cursed is the ground...thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you..." Not only was the ground's cursing also a curse for man (as he now has to toil for his food), but also sin marred the perfect nature of his role as keeper of the ground. Just as sin keeps me from being a perfect husband in my marriage, so also sin keeps us from appropriately cultivating God's creation.
So, we're currently facing a nation that is training even *fish* to eat corn. Romans 8.18-23 is an amazing passage that speaks on behalf of these fish and the acres and acres of hybrid, GMO corn in Iowa:
"For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies."
Man does cruel things to nature. Sometimes knowingly, sometimes not. Sometimes willingly, sometimes not. Regardless, just as we Christians are (or should be) groaning for redemption, for the time and place where our bodies are made new and sin is no more, so also creation itself...the soil in the corn fields, the cow ankle-deep in its own manure, the chickens who never see the light of day...is groaning for the day that all the injustices done to it are no more. 2 Peter 3.13: "But according to His promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells."
I'm never going to make all the right choices with my food, no matter how hard I try. There's no best way to eat/produce food. What if something's not available locally? What if something's available locally but not organically? What if I legitimately only have time to run through a drive-thru?
And just as I'll never do it perfectly, so other people will always continue to not make the wisest choices. But this is where we just hope in God's promises. He has promised to redeem us. He has promised to redeem His creation. And His Word never fails.
So, this is why I don't beat myself up over food. I try my hardest to do what I think is best, and I won't judge you if you don't share in my convictions. I'll never turn down food if you offer it to me, even if it's not local/organic/from scratch. Even if you do offer me, or if I prepare, the most beautiful plate of food so humanely/environmentally-friendly that has the best taste ever, even that will only be a glimpse of what our future holds when all Christians sit down with Christ at the great Wedding Feast of the Lamb. Praise and glory be to Jesus Christ our Savior and Lord.
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