Friend? Foe? or God?

I realize I am writing this from a "good" place after a loss I didn't deserve. However, I must write things like this as I think about them so that when I am "heavy laden" and "poor in spirit" I can look back and read reminders of some truth or someone can throw my own words back at me!

I have been reading amongst you all and talking with various people at various phases of the weight loss journey and noticing how excited or discouraged they, we, I get about what the scale says each week. If we have done well during the week we wait in anticipation for it to show a loss and therefore say that "I am good!" The scale then becomes our friend that week. If we have done poorly we wait in fear and trepidation as we just KNOW that it is going to say that "we are bad." The scale then becomes our enemy. Some of us have even taken to weighing ourselves daily to see what the almighty scale says about who we are today and then eat/exercise according to that mindset or belief. The scale has then become our God!

Here is the truth folks. The scale is none of those things unless you make them out to be. When I put my hope in the scale it is easy to become discouraged when it doesn't tell me what I want to hear. When I become so excited because of what the scale says I am still banking on the scale to provide something for me that has already been provided. What do you mean Kim? If I don't know the number how has it already been provided prior to stepping on that scale?

Identity folks. My identity. Your identity. Who you ARE and what you are made of has already been provided by God himself. I often forget that and look to the scale to determine if I am bad or good this week. When I do that, I take the true God off His throne and place the scale up there in His place. This is such a sad place to live. It makes this journey so much harder when I am not clear on who I am and what I am about. Especially when we are told that Jesus came that we may have life, and life to the full! I don't think he wants us to be so wrapped up in the number on the scale that we lose sight of Him or other people in our life. Or so wrapped up that it affects our moods and actions. I do believe however that he wants us to be healthy. That our bodies are His temple and that we should take care of it.

I am not saying the scale does not have a place though. However, it does not need or deserve that High Place, at least not in my life. The scale is what it is. A tool for honest feedback. The kind of raw honesty that can only come from an inanimate, impartial, uncaring object. Even an enemy can't provide that because they are not impartial or uncaring and a friend may try to minimize or over emphasize your failure or success in the name of encouragement! It is important to know what the scale is saying so you know how to tweak your efforts. If I didn't have the scale all December telling me I was staying the same, I might not have had a conversation with Coach that led to realizing I was doing more harm than good by not eating enough. If I didn't have the scale these last 2 months showing losses, Coach's theory about my low calorie intake would not have been proven correct! The scale is a tool! I and you are not bad or good based on it. Use it to evaluate your behavior and change it up if necessary, but that is it!

Bottom line guys, we, you , I have been and are created in the image of God. Our bodies are His temple and need to be taken care of. If we have an off week, we simply need to own our behavior but not make it about who we are. If we have an on week, again we get to own our behavior (although this is much easier than the former) and still NOT make it about who we are. We are more than a number. I am more than a number. My name is not Three Hundred and thirteen. My name is Kim and I am Enough! I am strong! I am courageous! I am fun and exciting to be with! I am a friend, a daughter, a sister, an Aunt. I am fearfully and wonderfully made! I am smart. and I am Beautiful! The scale does not dictate this each week. I just am, regardless of the number that shows up.

Who are YOU?