Dietary Restrictions -- Freedom

My husband and I recently had the privilege of inviting some friends over for dinner. The challenge created by this invitation meant that I needed to prepare a meal for dietary restrictions that I am not accustomed to accommodating. I bought organic fruit, organic butter, organic milk and organic flour to prepare this meal. I left all marinades off of the wild game we served for meat. My friend once told me of the health improvements her husband's doctor noticed when their marriage changed his eating habits.

I have other friends that have willingly chosen to change to their diet to include only foods available and acceptable in Biblical culture. They noticed a decrease in the symptoms of allergies and other signs of increased health.

As I think about the food restrictions that God gave in the Bible I can't help but apply the "scientific discoveries" of our day. Perhaps the most well-known of the dietary restrictions still followed by Orthodox Jews is that they are not allowed to eat pork. Today, we all know that pork has to be cooked thoroughly to kill micro-organisms that can make us sick. Ancient people would not have had this knowledge through science, so God guided them by giving them the restriction.

Just like the dietary restrictions, God's laws are always meant to protect us, rather than to limit us. One friend once shared how she fought becoming a Christian because it meant that she would have to give up all her freedom. She equated Christianity with a list of "Thou shall nots". When she surrendered her life to Christ, she found true freedom. Sometimes the freedoms we fear loosing are actually the bondage we need freedom from.

What we see as a restriction, God sees as a protection. What parent hasn't fought with their stubborn child over discipline issues? We long to protect our children from harm, even if they do not understand. I have often told my sons that I love them too much to let them get away with the behavior for which they are being disciplined. Knowing that God's laws are designed to protect us empowers us to obey them with an attitude of graditude rather than legalistic obligation. This is the heart of God when He gives us His Law: not to restrict so much as to instruct.

Will I be switching my eating habits to include only organic foods or to drink only goat's milk? No, even though the fruit did have more flavor. I don't think that I can handle that drastic of a change, at least not all at once. (And I don't like goat's milk anyway.) But I don't think it would hurt to make a few changes in my diet, and especially in my spiritual diet.