Tip the Scale

Tip the Scale

Two weeks ago when I started this journey I told myself I was not going to blog about it.  But the lesson I learned today about what I could have done and what I did seemed like a good story to share.  I set myself a small goal and I was confident that I would make it today but when I stepped on the scale I was disappointed by the reading.  Let down by the what I saw, I tried leaning a little on the scale and to my happy surprise it registered the goal I had planned to give myself a reward at. 

It has been difficult.  I am not on a diet, not using a diet plan and not changing any of the food that I eat.  What I am changing is my portion size and counting calories.  Do you know how small a single portion is?  This is such a foreign concept to me because we live in a world of “SUPER SIZE” … the bigger the better!

My reward is a small 12 oz can of Diet Pepsi.  Every time I open the refrigerator door it is there on the second shelf staring at me saying “You can do it!”  The first week was really difficult because in so many weight-loss plans a person can lose up to seven pounds in the first week.  I thought it would be effortless with walking three miles every day and eating a normal single portion size.  Not so.  The weight loss is slow.  But then I am reminded that “all good things come to those who wait.”

I considered writing down the reading that would get me my Diet Pepsi reward, you know, tip the scale a little… but it wouldn’t be honest.  Not that I am in a plan where I have to do a weigh in and be accountable to anyone.  I am doing this for myself.  I thought about that and how many times I have tipped the scale in the past.  Not being completely honest:  showing up late to work but writing down that I was there on time, writing out bills and not signing my name to the check (I don’t think that works anymore), mailing the bills out without stamps, using stamps that have already been used once but without the cancelled mark; my list is endless. 

God wants us to be honest.  He doesn’t want us to tip the scale and He knows even when we do it and then try to justify it to ourselves.  I contemplated the reward.  I could have the Diet Pepsi and make up for it this week by eating a little less and maybe losing an extra pound.  But what good is a reward that isn’t earned honestly? 

That is how God looks at charitable deeds and everything thing we do.  If a person does something for recognition or some other compensation his heart is not right.  I am not referencing a job where one goes to work and collects a paycheck at the end of the week.  I am suggesting things that we do out of the kindness of our hearts should not be done because we think we deserve an incentive.  God knows our heart and He knows if we are doing it out of compassion or if we are doing it for accolades.

This was a hard lesson for me to learn but I revert to “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:5-6 is the perfect Scripture that helps me and guides me and makes things right.  Maybe next weeks weigh-in will be rewarding and I will enjoy that Diet Pepsi.  But until then I will trust in the Lord and although it seems slow and hard, I think perhaps this is also a lesson for me in patience.

© Crackerberries 2011