He decided we would eat at one of those Brazilian steak houses where they bring new cuts of meat as long as your little token on the table is turned to green.
Turns out he is on a “keto” diet to lose weight. Only eats steak. One a day. Protein and fat. Has lost 30 lbs. Many are on a program where they count points penalizing for eating sugar-laden foods and fat. They lose weight. Many count calories. Obsess over counting. They all lose weight.
This all reminds me of the laws God gave Moses in order to organize the newly freed slaves into a new society. Ten commandments. (Quick, can you name them?) And maybe 612 more laws. Most were designed to keep the Hebrews alive in the desert. They worked at the time—mostly.
But the society institutionalized those laws. And added more. By the time of Jesus, a group called the Pharisees went around trying to get right with God by following every law plus others they made up. And they enjoyed pointing out the difference between themselves and others.
Jesus said that wouldn’t work. He said it’s about the heart. And following him. Not his laws. Him.
When I read Paul’s letter to his friends in Galatia, I glimpse what freedom from the law is. If our heart is right and we follow Jesus, then we don’t have to obsess over the laws. We just do what Jesus expects of us. It’s in our daily walk of life.
It is like weight. It doesn’t have to be complicated. Keep the pantry and refrigerator stocked with good, whole food. Don’t stock overly processed snacks and meats. Try this:
- Reduce portions
- Purchase “real” food at the grocery (no junk in the house)
- Eat slowly
Or as Dr. Michael Pollen put it:
- Eat food
- Not too much
- Mostly plants
In spiritual life:
- Reduce reading to real spiritual texts
- Center daily life on prayer and meditation
- Serve others
It doesn’t have to be complicated.
Faith Venture 
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