Berries - Yummy!

The pail in your hand is begging to be filled and your hands are already in motion. One of the greatest moments of joy comes when the berry picker takes a whole handful of berries and fills his mouth with them—enjoying the wonderful flavor and a deep feeling of satisfaction. One problem with this scenario though is that unless we put the berries into the pail, it will not be filled. We have a dilemma—to eat or not to eat. It has been said that real discipline is when you pick strawberries without eating any. Most of us would fail the test.

Many people I know can get by with just sampling a few berries here and there. Discipline of the self is an important part of a successful life. Controlling the amount, where and how we eat speaks volumes about our character. The Bible has something to say about that in Proverbs 23:2. We don’t need to learn the extreme forms of discipline that often rob us of happiness, and the Bible warns against asceticism, but we ought to understand the value of self-discipline and learn the balance that benefits life.