UPFRONT March 10, 2008 Issue

The best diet plan

INGRID PESCHKE, MANAGING EDITOR

We've all heard the phrases, "You are what you eat" and, "Watch what you eat." But how about this for a meal plan: "Don't worry about what you eat. In fact, don't even think about it. It's all covered—and life is much more than that anyway."

That would make a pretty catchy ad for the latest diet. But those words are taken from centuries-old teachings by the master Christian. Jesus advised, "Do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat ...for life is more than food, and the body more than clothing" (Luke 12:22, 23, English Standard Version). Considering that Jesus fed a multitude on just a few loaves of bread and a few fish, survived in the wilderness for over a month without food, and raised Lazarus from the dead after three days had passed, I have little doubt in the power and truth behind Jesus' words.

Referring to this same instruction, Mary Baker Eddy called Jesus "the best interpreter of man's needs" (Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, p. 170). While food is clearly a need, and our intake of it—the amount and type—appears to determine our weight and health, the writers in this week's issue challenge this purely material model. They show, through their own experiences and prayers, how following the master Christian's "diet plan" brings about joy, confidence, and normalcy.

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