The Controversy of Squash
It took a couple years of marriage before my husband admitted something to me: he hates spaghetti squash. Literally hates it. Yet it happens to be in my top 5 favorite vegetables.
- Spaghetti squash
- Okra
- Zuchinni
- Jicima
- Cabbage
Actually come to think of it, he hates 3 out of the 5 of the above vegetables.
To be honest, it’s made a little bit of a stir in our household. On one side is the wife who waves her giant spaghetti squash as her ‘health’ sword, and on the other is the husband who waves his raw red meat as his own ‘health’ sword. Completely different convictions on the word ‘health’ and yet a desire to be ‘healthy’ together.
It took me a shamefully long time to realize how worthless it all was.
“But avoid foolish controversies, genealogies, dissensions, and quarrels about the law, for they are unprofitable and worthless.” Titus 3:9
“It is an honor for a man to keep aloof from strife, but every fool will be quarreling.” Proverbs 20:3
“Be not quick in your spirit to become angry, for anger lodges in the bosom of fools.” Ecclesiastics 7:9
Foolish Controversies
There is a danger in taking the bible out of context and the Titus 3:9 passage is specifically talking about the law. Yet the verse got me thinking about what other things I let become ‘foolish controversies’? Healthy eating is something I’m passionate about, yet at what point does it make a fool out of me? More times than I care to think.
My husband and I can stand on opposite sides of the house all day waving our vegetables or raw meat at each other, and at the end of the day neither of us are going to change our mind. He prefers beefy and sugary, and I prefer a bit more lean options with a side of mango’s and vegetables.
Yet the fact is, sometimes I’ll dive into the Oreo’s right along with him, and sometimes he loves a good salad. I still make dishes with Spaghetti squash and he still brings home items that I would have scoffed at in disgust in my early 20s.
Loving People over Tasks
So what’s my point? Well, I wish this was a bit more ‘hyper-spiritual’ because it all sounds rather dull,
Jesus’ ministry on earth was all about his people. He cared, loved, ministered, and got dirty right alongside people. Yet sometimes I find myself focusing on the ‘tasks’ of this world instead of the ‘people’.
“And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Matthew 22:37-39
There are times that the most loving thing I can do is sit down with my family and eat red meat and Oreo cookies. Meeting the people Jesus loves far more than I do where they are at is much more important than wagging my dogmatic convictions in the air about healthy living.
Maybe it’s just me, but I think we all have situations in our life of ‘squash versus red meat’.
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