Jesus made it simple

"Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:37-40

If you're like me and thousands of other runners around the world, you view food as fuel--and as such, try to only put in "healthy" fare that will allow you to perform better. Which is the very reason, the newest article in Runner's World Magazine titled, "Is Chipotle Healthy? Here's What a Dietitian Says" caught my eye. As someone who eats there every chance I get, I was happy to hear what Roxana Ehsani, M.S., R.D., C.S.S.D., sports dietitian and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics had to say. Chipotle offers an abundance of healthy choices for customers. She lauds the nutrient-dense options available, like brown rice. Plus, there are plenty of veggie choices—such as peppers, onions, lettuce, and the diverse range of salsas—that are rich with vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Both pinto and black beans are excellent sources of protein (and plant-based protein at that), as well as dietary fiber. That being said, Ehsani issued this warning, " Keep in mind, it’s easy to go overboard... so as you’re going through, beware of adding too much sour cream, queso, cheese, or even an extra scoop of guacamole." Admitting that it can be overwhelming to say “no” to every extra ingredient you’re offered, Ehsani laid out what to put in your bowl, burrito, or salad to make it simple to order. 

And you know, when it comes to knowing and living out the commandments laid out in the Bible, many Christians might admit to feeling overwhelmed. Thankfully though, Jesus laid it out in simple terms when he said, "You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments." You see, by fulfilling these two commands, a person follows all the other commands. That means if you and I truly love God and our neighbor, we will naturally keep all of the commandments. Pretty simple right? 

So let us strive to love the Lord with all that we have friends and then to love our neighbors as ourselves. Doing so will ensure that we follow the commandments laid out in the Word. Aren't you glad Jesus made it so simple? 

Heavenly Father, thank You for telling us exactly what is required of us in a way that we can understand. And while loving You and others as we should might seem simple, we know that it's anything but simple unless we do it in Your strength. Help us to surrender our will to Your's each and every day Lord that we might be completely yielded to You and thus fulfill the greatest commandment and the second one that is equally important. It's in your precious name we pray Jesus. Amen. 

Happy Running!!!