Growing up, my mom was always careful about what we ate.  She was the kind of mother who stuffed her children full of vitamins, and tortured them with cod liver oil and wheat germ.  Desserts were infrequent and junk food was seldom allowed in the house.  I grew up believing that all good mothers were ordained by God to feed their children well, even when as a child, I would rather have had a Twinkie.  This is why, when I saw Florence Dunkel on a TV news program this week, I was a bit dismayed.  Dunkel looks like the stereotypical grandmother.  You could easily picture her on a rocking chair with a large book and a child on her lap.  So I was floored this week when I discovered that she advocates that people, even little children, should eat (wait, steady yourself) bugs.  That’s right, creepy crawly, antenna wiggling, wings fluttering, bugs.

Dunkel is an Associate Proffessor at Montana State University and is editor-in-chief of the Food Insects Newsletter.  She has been trying to get people to eat insects for years.  Actually, it’s really only we, in the developed world, that need to be persuaded.  Eighty percent of the world’s population eats insects.  Of the 1.1 million species of insects that scientists have identified, 1,700 of them are edible.  Insects have more protein per weight than cows and twice as much B-12.  They also take less food to raise and as you know, many insects are identified in the Bible as good for food.

So why aren’t more Christian mother’s in America feeding their children insects?  Well, there may be many reasons, but probably the most scientifically verified and statistically validated reason is simply because insects are “yucky.”  It’s about this time in my articles that I take my introduction and cleverly weave it into some spiritual lesson.  However, yucky is really not spiritual.  Yucky is just  . . . well, yucky.

I guess after thinking of Florence Dunkel, a 69-year-old woman, who to me, looks so grandmotherly, feeding some unsuspecting child mealworms or crickets, I suddenly found new appreciation for wheat germ and cod liver oil.  On this Mothers Day weekend, I have one more thing to be thankful for.  I’m just praising God that in her pursuit of healthy meals for her children, my mother didn’t feed her children insects.  And for all the mothers who also didn’t feed their children insects, “Way to go, moms!”  Happy Mother’s Day.

Do you believe that you should get what’s rightfully yours?  Apparently Mohammad Ashan did.  In last month’s news, an interesting story emerged.  A mid-level Taliban leader, Mohammed Ashan, wanted in connection with two roadside bomb attacks, saw his picture on a wanted poster in the area where he was hiding out. The poster claimed a $100 reward for information leading to his arrest.  So Ashan promptly turned himself in.  What else would a reward savvy terrorist do?  He expected his $100 reward.  Of course, he was arrested.  I’m not sure what Ashan was thinking.  In the words of one US official, “Clearly, the man is an imbecile.”  I mention Ashan because whatever you may think of him, he certainly was a man who didn’t want others to claim what he felt was rightfully his.

This week thousands of people around the world protested for worker’s rights and fair pay in what is known as May Day or International Worker’s Day.  Historically, on May 1, 1886 American workers across the heartland went on strike, which focused specifically on an 8-hour workday.  In Chicago alone 100,000 workers (one forth of the city’s population) participated.  Since that time every May 1, around the world workers protest for better treatment and better pay.  This year across our nation the Occupy movement staged marches and protests.  The Occupy movement claims that the system is rigged in favor of the richest 1% and against the rest of the 99%.  The Occupiers claim that the 99% only want what they believe is rightfully theirs – a bigger piece of the economic pie.

As Christians we also want what should be rightfully ours, but what really belongs to us?  The Bible says, “The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it. The world and all its people belong to him.” (Ps 24:1 NLT)  In fact, you can almost hear God’s mocking tone in Ps 50:12 when He declares, “If I were hungry, I would not tell you; for the world is Mine, and all its fullness.”  Yet we don’t always live like we acknowledge the simple fact that nothing is rightfully ours, not even the breath in our lungs.  It all belongs to God.

The blessing of this awesome fact is that if everything belongs to God then certainly we belong to Him as well.  We don’t need to go on strike for our rights and we certainly don’t need to attempt to claim dubious rewards.  We simply need to trust in God.  Our tithes and offerings are a symbol of that trust and confidence.  We give because He’s already given so much to us.  Of course, since it all belongs to Him anyway, you can be sure that God wants what’s rightfully His.  No, not your money – your heart.  Not 10% or even 99%.  God wants all of you.

Are you smarter than a mouse?  In one set of experiments, researchers affiliated with the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism trained mice to press levers in response to certain cues until the behavior became a habit.  The mice were always rewarded with food.  After the habit was formed the researchers played a dirty trick on the unsuspecting mice.  They poisoned the food so that it would make the mice violently ill.  The mice knew that the food was poisoned.  They wouldn’t go near the food when it was just placed into a bowl.  However, when they were given their old cues, they automatically pressed the lever and ate the food.  Even though it would make them vomit.  The habit was so engrained that they couldn’t stop.

But you say “I’m no mouse.”  Oh yeah?  Studies show that most families don’t plan to eat fast food on a regular basis.  However, once a month becomes twice a month, which becomes once a week, and then multiple times a week.  Fast food chains are careful to give customers specific cues and rewards to build habits.  For instance, some fries are designed to begin disintegrating the moment they hit your tongue, in order to deliver a hit of salt and grease as fast as possible, causing your pleasure centers to light up and your brain to lock in the pattern – building a habit.

What researchers and fast food marketers have discovered certainly the devil already knew.  Christians sometimes wonder why they continue to fall into the same sins again and again.  Proverbs 26:11 says, “As a dog returns to his own vomit, so a fool repeats his folly.”  Most Christians are quite foolish by that standard, but even more than foolish, most Christians have developed poor habits.  Satan knows that if sinful practices become habitual, we will return to our sins even when it has become clear that Satan has played that dirty trick on us and poisoned worldly rewards.

The best way to overcome bad habits is by developing new ones.  If we could only develop the habits of continuous prayer, daily meditation on scripture, selfless service, and steadfast praise, we would not find ourselves in an endless cycle of sin.  Though it seems impossible to change some life long habits, we know that with God all things are possible. (Mat 19:26)  Ask God today for the strength to develop Godly habits.

The Forensic Psychology website has done an interesting study on Internet usage.  They have found that between 1990 and today, Internet usage in America has risen from the single digits to over 80% of our population.  Collectively, we spend 35 billion hours on the Internet every month.  This Internet usage has significantly increased the amount of information that we are being bombarded with every day.  In fact, we consume three times as much information as people did in the 1960’s.  Of course, back in the 60’s they didn’t have Google, our one stop source for everything cyber.  Collectively, we visit Google 7.2 billion times per day and make 3 billion queries (that’s when we search the web, not to find a specific site, but to ask a question).  All this Internet usage seems amazing and of course, is very helpful, but according to the Forensic Psychology website, it also has some very negative effects.  Internet usage is connected to slow problem solving ability, poorer memory, and a breaking down in the white matter that transmits signals from one region of the brain to another.  However, what struck me the most about this study was that even with an average of 245 Facebook friends, heavy Internet users are 2.5 times more likely to be depressed.  Imagine, the wonderful Internet doesn’t make us happier people!

This made me wonder if being a Christian makes one happier or better yet, if being a Christian brings one joy.  Bible texts like, “the joy of the LORD is your strength” (Neh 8:10) come to mind, when I think about the joyfulness of the Christian life.  Indeed, Paul admonishes the Christian to “rejoice in the Lord always.” (Phil 4:4)  It seems that everywhere in the Bible we are encouraged to be joyous.  However, when I leave the scripture and walk into the church I find a different reality.  The Christians that I know are not more joyous.  They are just as stressed out, worried, and irritable as everyone else and at times angrier, more bitter, and resentful.  It appears that when we think that we are in the “right” we can have very strong feelings against those whom we think are in the “wrong.”  Of course, Christians have very strong feelings about right and wrong.

However, we do not have a strong enough sense of the presence of God.  David informs us that God desires to show us the path of life; in His presence is the fullness of joy and at His right hand are pleasures forevermore. (Ps 16:11)  If God is near us, our lives should be full of joy.  This is not to say that Christians should never be depressed or unhappy.  Elijah desired to kill himself on Mt. Horeb and Jeremiah was known as the weeping prophet.  However, joy should be the essential thing.  We may have virtual relationships on the Internet, but when it comes to the spiritual life, only the real thing will do.  That’s only where we find joy.

Check out the Forensic Psychology infographic at http://www.forensicpsychology.net/internet-ruining-your-brain

“She did not meet the requirements to compete despite having stated otherwise on her entry form.”  This was the vague statement given as the reason by the Miss Universe Canada organization for disqualifying Jenna Talackova.  Ms. Talackova at age 23 is a tall blond beauty that would be sure to turn heads on the beach or any swimsuit competition.  So initially, many were confused by Talackova’s dismissal.  However, the real reason soon came out.  Four years earlier, Talackova had undergone sex reassignment surgery.  At that time, her name was Walter.  Ms. Talackova used to be a Mr.  Now, things have gotten really confusing.  Many of Talackova’s supporters – including her boyfriend of 2 ½ years – said that Talackova hadn’t broken any contestant rules and therefore shouldn’t be disqualified.  The Miss Universe Canada competition’s only stated requirements are 1) be a Canadian citizen and 2) be between the ages of 18 and 27.  It appears that the Miss Universe organization eventually agreed and as of last Tuesday, the organization reversed itself and will allow Talackova to compete.  While some are saying, “What in the world?” others are seeing this as a step forward for the equality of transgendered individuals.

This incident has sparked much debate.  What makes a woman, a woman?  Is it what’s on the outside?  She doesn’t currently look like any of the boys I know.  Is it what’s on the inside?  Talackova says that from an early age she was “in the wrong body.”  What makes a woman, a woman?

This is a tantalizing question, but as a pastor this story brought another question to mind.  What makes a Christian, a Christian?  Does going to church or reading one’s Bible or calling oneself a Christian mean that he or she is a Christian?  Is it something on the outside or something on the inside?  Can it be measured?  Can one truly know?  These are important questions because Christ’s commission is to “go and make disciples.” (Mat 28:19)  That’s what a Christian is – a disciple of Jesus Christ.  Jesus said, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed.” (John 8:31)  He also said, “By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:35)  These give us both internal and external measures.  Yet, these are of no use unless we have the capacity to make such measurements.  A deaf man can’t tell when you’re playing middle C.  Can we measure the Christian walk?  Ultimately, such judgments belong to God, but they are not only His, not if we are to go and make disciples.  Paul tells us that Spiritual things are “spiritually discerned.” (2 Cor 2:14)  This, I believe, is the great lack within the Christian Church today.  We lack Biblical spirituality.  We attempt to be followers of Christ and lead others to follow Him, while living in the flesh.  This won’t do.  We need to be spiritual.  Without this it would be like judging a beauty contest and not knowing what makes a woman, a woman.