TOD 09.18.07

At Nathan’s annual hot dog eating contest in New York, guys (and some gals) from around the world try to force as many hot dogs into their mouths as possible, sometimes exceeding 60 in just 12 minutes. It’s simultaneously amazing and repulsive.

But imagine you were at a nice restaurant somewhere and the person at the next table was eating Chicken Marsala that way? Other than finding it gross, you would realize that no one can really enjoy food when they’re shoveling it that fast. At the other extreme, when I really want to enjoy a meal, I take a bite and actually close my eyes to savor the tastes and textures without having any visual distraction. It’s wonderful.

Likewise, even though I encourage people to read the whole Bible if they say they believe in It, I hope people don’t read it like it’s a hot dog eating contest. Instead, I hope they’ll savor it, with their eyes closed, chewing and pondering it’s sweet flavor. Remember, souls grow slowly, which is why sometimes faster isn’t.