Moderation by Frances McCrory-Meservy
The fruit of
self-control is what helps us do things in moderation. So, if you
want to live in moderation, ask God to fill you with His Spirit and produce
self-control in and through you.
Moderation should be practiced in
every area of our lives. The world runs on extremes; but Christians should
not. We should be moderate in our politics as well as other
areas of our lives. All extremes are wrong.
If we are too religious,
our children will run from God. If we walk in God's love and not rules
made by men, our children will embrace God. When they see the love of
Christ in our everyday lives, they will know we are real and not hypocrites.
We know that gluttony is
a sin. If we ate small servings of
everything, we would not be overweight, diabetic, have knee, feet and ankle
problems and would be healthier. Moderation would keep us feeling better.
We know that greed brought on my the love of money is a sin. If we work and earn enough
to pay for shelter, food, clothing and have a little left over so we can share
with others, we are doing well and are able to live in moderation.
When we feel deprived because we do not have everything that the people
around us have, we covet and do things in excess to have what they
have. If you are working so much that you do not have time for your family so
you can have a pool, etc., you are not working in moderation and your family
will resent it. If at all possible, one parent should be home with the
children so they can be supervised and taught to be Godly.
In a world like we have here in the US, it is hard not to have too much.
Temptation is everywhere we go and look. We don't realize we are keeping up with
the society because it's the norm.
In the 1700s the house was
10" X 10" for a couple and they added an 8' X 8' room each time a room got too
small for the children to fit. Today we think a 10' X 10' room is small
for one child and each child should have his own room.
When I was growing up, we
had a toilet outside, took a bath in a #3 washtub in the kitchen, read by a
kerosene lamp, cooked on a wood stove and drew our water out of a well.
Today people think it's a
hardship if they don't have 2 bathrooms, electricity in every room, a gas or
electric stove & running water. In some states if you can't pay your
electric bill, the state will take your children away. Excess
is required.
It is OK to
drink beer or other fermented drink if you drink in moderation. If you
drink in excess, you will get drunk and that is not OK Some drugs
taken in moderation are OK; but if you get wasted, you are over
indulging in drugs and that is not OK Scripture says we are to be sober
minded so we will not be tempted by Satan.
1 Cor
9:25 And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate
in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable
crown, but we for an imperishable crown.
Prov 6:16-19 There are six things the LORD hates, seven that are detestable to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, a false witness who pours out lies and a man who stirs up dissension among brothers.
Mat 7:13-14 "Enter by the
narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to
destruction, and there are many who go in by it. "Because narrow is the gate and
difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.
1 Th 5:6-8 Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk are drunk at night. But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation.
1 Pet 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.
Eph 4:28 He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need.
HG.Dct 1467. egkrateuomai, mid. form G1468 to exercise self-restraint (in diet and chastity):--can (-not) contain, be temperate.
Merriam-Webster Dictionary Definition: Temperate 1: marked by moderation: as a: keeping or held within limits : not extreme or excessive : mild b: moderate in indulgence of appetite or desire c: moderate in the use of alcoholic beverages d: marked by an absence or avoidance of extravagance, violence, or extreme partisanship