NOVEMBER 2006

Dear Members and Friends of Mt. Olive,

The headline in last month’s China Insight newspaper reads, “China follows the west to becoming obese,” and begins: “People in China are becoming overweight and obese at an alarmingly fast rate.” The article states that there are “an estimated 184 million overweight people and a further 31 million obese people” in China today, whereas China had formerly been a “country with a lean population.”

Another article in the same paper notes that McDonald’s now has close to 800 restaurants in China with plans of opening 100 new stores per year. The latest trend is toward drive-thru-windows at gas stations so that “when drivers in China stop at a gas station to fuel up, they will be able to fuel up with Big Macs…”

Now, I scratch my head and wonder, “hmm, can there somehow be a connection here between story one and story two?!” Is it possible that the influx of fast food restaurants has a bearing on the rapid rate of obesity? Common sense would say “Of course there’s a direct correlation between the two. Anyone can see that!”

Well, not everyone! Remember how years back the cigarette companies refused to admit that - just maybe - smoking causes lung cancer? Remember how, to this very day, there are people who refuse to acknowledge that certain music and certain movies can cause children (and adults) to display violence and aggressive, deviant behavior?

I suppose there will always be those who vehemently oppose the simple, straightforward maxim: “Garbage in – Garbage out.”

Now here’s something that will have a far broader impact than a daily dose of double cheeseburgers and super-sized orders of fries. After a steady diet of evolutionary gobbledygook, of Darwinian drivel, should it come as a surprise that people are acting more and more like animals?

Yes, there is a correlation. If I’m repeatedly told that I am here on this earth as a product of chance and mutation, that I really have no purpose once I’m here, and that consequently I am answerable to no one but myself, the outcome should not shock us.

If, on the other hand, I learn from little up that I am “fearfully and wonderfully made” by a loving Creator, that my purpose here on earth is to glorify my Maker and Redeemer, and that I am responsible to Him and to my fellow man, does that not lead to a more civilized society?

Doesn’t just plain, simple common sense cause one to see “Intelligent Design” in everything within this marvelous universe?

Forcing evolution into the minds of God’s precious children is but one area where we don’t have to scratch our heads too long to wonder about the fallout of such teaching. There is a definite domino effect – and it’s not a healthy one.

Are there corners of your life where, because something is wrong in one area, another area is being affected adversely? Say for example you sense your faith growing weaker and weaker. Could it be because your Bible has a layer of dust on it and you haven’t joined your fellow Christians in God’s House or received the Lord’s Supper since… now when was that again!?

A little personal soul searching is good from time to time. You may be amazed to find how many negative things are happening in your life as a direct result of bad judgment, bad decisions, bad choices. Like it or not, Big Macs lead to big bodies. And, as they say, the list goes on.

I believe it was Sir Isaac Newton who said "For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction." Now that’s not in the Bible. But this is: “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows,” Galatians 6:7.

Folks, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to understand that “a man reaps what he sows.” Garbage in produces garbage out. Stinkin’ thinkin’ leads to stinkin’ livin’. And we don’t have to go to China to observe it. We just have to look at our own hearts.

“But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ,” 1 Cor 15:57.

Pastor Carl Henkel