Hastings: Food for wisdom
“Give us nothing but vegetables to eat and water to drink.” — Daniel 1:12 The Inclusive Bible
After the Babylonians captured Jerusalem, Daniel and three friends were chosen for a three-year nobility training program to learn the language and literature of the Chaldeans. Trainees were given daily rations of food and wine from the royal table.
But Daniel and friends were determined not to be “defiled” by eating non-kosher food or wine, so they asked for a simple diet of vegetables and water. The steward was concerned his life would be in danger if the men looked pallid compared to the other trainees, so Daniel and friends requested a 10-day trial. At the end of the 10 days they looked healthier and better off than any of those who ate from the royal table.
As Daniel and friends continued their simple diet throughout their training, God gave them knowledge and proficiency in literature and science. Daniel was also given the ability to interpret visions and dreams. When King Nebuchadnezzar tested the four, he found them “10 times better” than all the other trainees, and they entered into royal service.
This story invites wonder about the relationship between what one eats, one’s wisdom, spirituality and general well-being. When I discovered food allergies 40 years ago, I did not consider my dietary changes as a consecration or a fast. But within a couple of years, others pointed me to seminary. I found I enjoyed better health when eating organic non-GMO food. I learned that food allergies are not as prevalent in countries which do not allow GMOs. So I wondered: Is there more wisdom in food grown primarily to promote health than in food grown primarily to promote wealth — as if offered to idols?
As I wondered about the relationship of food, health and wisdom, I learned that in many jails and prisons, inmates are fed what they term “garbage” for less than $2 per person per day. Our state spends $2.1 billion annually on prisons. Inmates ask, “Where is the money going?” They answer “not for food” and “not for health care.” They report being offered no fresh fruits or veggies, having loose teeth from poor diet, many unnecessary deaths and near-death situations. While there are nutritional standards for school lunches, senior meals and even for animals, there seem to be no nutritional standards or healthy choices for those in prisons.
Besides prisons, there are many areas of our country known as food deserts where nutritious food is not readily available. When I wish everyone could have choices like Daniel and friends, I think of the farmer in Minnesota who bought a shipping container and equipped it with a hydroponic system so his family and community could enjoy fresh fruits and vegetables all year around.
What a healthy, wealthy and wise country we might enjoy if everyone could choose food for wisdom like Daniel and friends!
The Rev. Celia M. Hastings has a master's degree in religious education from Western Theological Seminary in Holland. She is author of “The Wisdom Series” and “The Undertaker’s Wife.”
This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: Hastings: Food for wisdom
