The phrase "you are what you eat", not to be confused with the cannibal's dictum, "you eat what you are", may have had its origin with Ludwig Feuerbach, a German philosopher, in his 1863 essay entitled Concerning Spiritualism and Materialism, where he wrote: "Der Mensch ist, was er isst". The English translation is ‘man is what he eats'. Feuerbach was using an alliteration between the German words ‘to be" and ‘to eat' which sound similar. Prior to Feuerbach, a French lawyer who was a gourmet, wrote a book in 1825 called The Physiology of Taste. In that book, Brillat-Savarin wrote: "Tell me what you eat and I'll tell you what you are". Now, neither of these men meant for their quotes to be taken literally. They were referring to how the food one eats can have a bearing on their minds and health. The phrase wasn't used in English until the 1920-30's when a nutritionist named Victor Lindlahr developed the idea that food controls health. He wrote a book in 1942 called You Are What You Eat; how to win and keep health with diet. I read recently about a man who had eaten 23,000 Big Mac hamburgers since 1972. He had two each day except for a few rare instances which prevented him from doing so. Now, I'm sure that this man doesn't look like a Big Mac, at least on the outside. But with my professional background in nutrition, I would be confident in saying that eating that many Big Macs has had some effect on his health.

Spiritual Food

Now, you may be thinking, "Why am I reading about nutrition in a theological publication?" Well, I want to argue that the idea of eating and nutrition can be used metaphorically to apply to spiritual matters and in fact has been done so by Jesus and others in the Bible. I want to demonstrate that the phrase "you are what you eat" can be applied to our spiritual health and growth. In John's gospel, chapter six, Jesus calls Himself the bread of life. He also says that "unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, you have no life in you" (6:53). In verse 55 He says, "For my flesh is food indeed, and my blood is drink indeed." Now, Jesus is speaking metaphorically or figuratively, but that wasn't so obvious to some of his followers who thought he was teaching some kind of cannibalism. It was a "hard saying" for them and they left. Jesus had begun the discourse by saying that He was the bread of life and that all who came to Him and believed in Him had life. There's the literal meaning. Jesus is talking about believing in Him. Later He decides to use the figurative language in what someone has called Jesus' "church shrinkage program". Rome also seems somewhat confused by using these verses and other sources to promote their ritualistic cannibalism in their doctrine of transubstantiation, for that is what it is if the elements truly become the flesh and blood of Christ. The inability to discern between literal and figurative language seems to be a continual source of confusion for many throughout church history.

Paul, in 1 Corinthians 3:1-2 says, "And, I, brethren, could not speak to you as spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ. I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able." The writer to the Hebrews uses similar language in Hebrews 5:12-14, which states, "For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food. For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil." Peter also says, "...as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby". (1Peter 2:2). From these passages we see the Bible's use of figurative language using the idea of eating and nutrition to discuss spiritual life and growth.

This gastronomic idea may be connected to Proverbs 23:7; "For as he thinks in his heart, so is he." What we think will define what we are. This connects us with the verses in Romans, Colossians, Ephesians and 2 Peter that connect our minds or our thinking with our behavior and living. Paul exhorts us to not be conformed to the world but be transformed by the renewal of our minds. He says similar things in Ephesians and Colossians about how we grow in the faith by knowledge of the truth... "being renewed in the spirit of your mind" ... "and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him." So as we grow in our understanding and belief of God's Truth, that will have a greater effect over our lives and we will bear more fruit to God's glory.

Let's get back to the gastronomic analogy. If what we eat physically becomes us via the digestive process and effects the health and growth of our bodies, likewise what we eat spiritually will affect the health and growth of our souls. So, if we eat junk food (food which is edible but has little nutritive quality) and have little nutritious food in our diets, our health will suffer. Likewise, if we fill our minds with mental junk food, thoughts and ideas that are empty of Truth, the health of our souls will suffer. In this analogy it is important to understand how we eat, what we eat and why we eat, as well as the results of our eating.

How Do You Eat?

First, the how of what we eat. We eat spiritually by understanding and believing statements or propositions. A proposition is the meaning of a declarative sentence. A is B. Other types of sentences such as questions, exclamations or commands do not "feed" us Truth, although they may flesh out the broader narrative of what we are reading. The act and process of reading and meditating may correspond to chewing and digesting physical food. By the way, it is important to remember that all analogies, metaphors or figurative language have their limitations. We must not stretch their use to the breaking point or to an absurd end either. As we read and roll around in our minds (meditate/think about) what we are reading, those ideas are being absorbed into our thinking, into our souls like nutrients are absorbed into our blood stream through the villi of our small intestines. What we don't understand and/or believe may pass through us like indigestible matter. It won't have a long term effect on us.

What Are You Eating?

Secondly, let's consider the what of what we eat. In the physical realm our bodies need nutritious foods to promote growth, maintenance and the overall health of our bodies. If we want healthy bodies we must eat healthy foods and in their proper amounts. If we eat junk foods and very little nutritious foods we will become sick and may develop certain diseases which could affect our long term health and shorten our longevity. The science of nutrition is fairly new on the medical sciences' horizon and much greater research is needed to establish connections between our diets and our health. However, there is enough data to warrant the idea that we are what we eat and that our diets will have profound effects on our overall health. By the way, as a dietitian I am not a "puritan" when it comes to certain foods. In other words, I believe that if the majority of one's diet is sound a person can indulge in certain junk foods, in moderation, just for the sheer enjoyment of it. The problem arises when those foods crowd out the nutritious foods.

Now, spiritually speaking, these ideas apply to the health of our souls. If we want to grow spiritually and improve our spiritual health we must consume the proper diet. The best spiritual food, of course, is the Truth, the Scriptures. God's Word is all we need for faith and life as the Westminster Confession of Faith states. Of course, books about the Bible like commentaries, systematic theologies, surveys, sermons, confessions and catechisms are all very good, as well, as long as they conform to the Word of God. But a diet for long term health of our souls must include regular and consistent eating of God's Word. We must do this individually and corporately. This is a means of grace for us given by God. We should not only read the Bible but meditate upon it. This is not the Eastern or New Age version of meditation where one empties their mind in order to have an emotional, mystical experience. Rather, it is the rolling around in one's mind a passage of Scripture, a chewing the cud, ruminating on an idea. Also, as mentioned we should eat the Word corporately. We must attend the public worship of God and hear His Word preached. We should also be involved in Bible studies with other believers where we can discuss ideas and freely ask questions. Many times this will help stimulate thoughtful meditation in between meetings. With the availability of Bibles, countless books and internet sites we have a virtual banquet feast set before us. Are we taking advantage of it? By the way, I am also not advocating that we can only read the Bible and other theological books. We may need to read materials for an apologetic purpose and can therefore understand another worldview and be able to better defend the faith. We also may enjoy reading novels, science fiction or philosophical treatises for pure literary enjoyment. We just have to be discerning in our reading, and, like our diets, make sure that the majority of what we fill our minds with is spiritually nutritious.

Why Eat?

Next, let us consider the why of our spiritual eating. Some of this has been alluded to before. Physically we eat to stay alive. Of course there are those who live to eat rather than eating to live, but the point is that without food at some point we perish. Most of us don't eat just to survive physically. We enjoy the eating experience. We look forward to favorite foods or meals like Thanksgiving. God has given us taste buds and a sense of smell which adds a satisfying pleasure element to the eating process. That, of course, may also be part of the problem regarding our overeating and all the problems associated with it. Now, that idea can be applied to us spiritually. Do we have a genuine hunger and thirst for God's Word, for the Truth. Do we relish His Word with great delight? Or is it something we have to force ourselves to consume? If so, what is wrong with our appetites? In the physical realm a poor appetite is usually a symptom of underlying illness. Why have American Christians become so anorexic? It seems that American Christians have fat bodies and lean souls, when we should have lean bodies and fat souls, souls heavy with God's glory. The Hebrew word for glory, kabod, means heavy. Are we heavy with God's glory because we are consuming His Word, or are we anorexic in our souls because we feed on junk food?

Dietary Results

Finally, the results of our spiritual eating should be obvious by now. We are what we eat. We are what our minds consume and meditate upon. Our very spiritual health and well-being depends upon a biblically nutritious spiritual diet. We must not neglect the means of grace that God has given to us for this purpose. We must add to our consuming the Truth, prayer, the use of the sacraments and fellowship with other believers. Our lives depend on it. You are what you eat! May it glorify God and not dishonor Him!