I’ve heard that January has the greatest enrollment for weight loss programs. Visions of dancing sugar plums may have filled the heads of the children the night before Christmas, but for most of us, those pesky little plums danced their way right onto our hips and thighs. If you made a list of New Year’s resolutions, chances are that somewhere near the top is a pledge to lose those extra holiday pounds. Well, here is good news. God loves FAT people. In fact, being FAT is good for you and pleases Him. But before you reach for that last piece of Christmas fudge you hid away for an emergency, it’s not about being plump. A Bible teacher once used the acronym FAT as a memory tool for what God expects of His followers. Think FAT—Faithful, Available, Teachable. Think Gideon.
We’re introduced to Gideon in Judges 6 as he’s hiding in the bottom of a wine press. Not a very good beginning, but God knew there were recessive FAT genes in him somewhere because He called him “O valiant warrior.” In spite of a slow start (remember the two fleeces he put out?), Gideon went on to be the man of the hour, delivering God’s people from their enemies and using only 300 men with trumpets, water pitchers and torches to do it. Gideon had great faith in a God who would help him against all odds and he was faithful to obey all that God told him to do. He was Faithful, Available and Teachable. He was FAT.
It’s easy to make promises to others, to ourselves and even to God. The hard part is being faithful to those promises—if we’re committed to something, we need to be faithfully committed. But what about being available? Gideon had doubts about being the right person for the job, but was off and running when God assured him that he was. Tear down false idols and worship the Lord? Done. Gather an army? Done. Reduce that army by more than half and then again from 10,000 to 300? Done. Whatever God asked him to do, Gideon was available for the job. And not only was Gideon faithful and available, he was also teachable. He was a farmer, not a military expert, but even Gideon knew you don’t fight with trumpets and torches and expect to win. God taught him a lesson about who God really was when Gideon allowed himself to be teachable.
These are lessons for us in 2011. First of all, are we living a life of faith? Hebrews 11:6 tells us that “without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.” Is our faith in God, who sent His only Son to redeem us from sin and are we being faithful to Him? And what about being available? Are we ready to do the job God has for us or are we so caught up in our own agenda that a tap on the shoulder from His Holy Spirit is seen as an inconvenient interruption? Last of all, what about being teachable? We may be faithful and available but still think we can get the job done on our own. God has much to teach us about Himself and the plans He has for us in 2011 if we will allow ourselves to be FAT for Him.
So Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig and “The Biggest Loser” really have nothing to fear. Resolution #1: Lose unwanted weight. Resolution #2: Become FAT.
