Do you recognize the names Joey Chestnut, Takeru Kobayashi, or Patrick Bertoletti?  Although they may not be featured on magazine covers or network TV programs, they are celebrities. They are the world’s top competitive eating stars and are all Major League Eaters.
 
Major League Eating is the world body that oversees all professional eating contests. It is governed by the International Federation of Competitive Eating and helps to develop, publicize and execute world-class eating events.  MLE conducts approximately 80 events annually throughout the U.S.  Participants in these contests devour unbelievable amounts of food. One world-class eater managed to finish a 24” pizza in 15 minutes. Another “inhaled” 34.75 Beef Brisket BBQ sandwiches in 10 minutes and another ingested a 22-ounce Slurpee in 9 seconds. Wow!
 
In a world where there is so much starvation, the fact that Americans consider these gluttonous events entertainment probably does not speak well of our country – but that’s a discussion for another blog.
 
The fact is, gluttony is rampant. Over-indulgence can lead to health problems like acid reflux, digestive distress or obesity.  Eating food is necessary for our survival. The key is to eat in moderation and ingest only what our bodies can comfortably handle.
 
Gluttony is also rampant among Christians but it goes beyond food. I’m referring to the practice of “overeating” when it comes to Biblical truths; trying to take in too much knowledge at one time. Studying God’s Word is necessary for our survival. The key is moderation and ingesting only what we can learn and actually apply to our lives.
 
Wanting to know as much as possible about God and His Word is commendable. It is what we feed on and how we grow spiritually. However, the truth is that we can only “digest” small amounts.
 
I have been blessed to attend many conferences where the speakers were excellent Bible teachers and expositors.  At these conferences there are normally morning, afternoon and evening sessions, complete with wonderful praise and worship services. It is a veritable spiritual buffet! It feels great, but the truth is it is difficult to retain all of the information. At one conference I was so “full” after the morning session that I really needed to get alone and meditate on what I had heard. But I continued to gorge myself that day and for the rest of the conference. So although it felt great, I’m not sure what I actually took away that made a life-changing difference. Of course all of these conferences offer books, tapes, CD’s & DVD’s so that attendees can take the messages home with them. But even those have to be studied in small doses in order to make life-changing differences.
 
It is possible to stand under a waterfall, get soaking wet, and still be thirsty. The key is to open your mouth and take a little water in. Obviously you won’t be able to swallow the whole waterfall, but the amount that your mouth can hold will be enough to quench your thirst.
 
You’ve heard the old adage, “Don’t’ bite of more than you can chew”. This holds true in spiritual matters as well.  Jesus prayed “Give us this day our daily bread” (Matthew 6:11). Focus on what you can take in today that will make a difference in your life. You see it’s not what goes in, but what comes out that counts.