Buffeting My Body?

"But I buffet my body and make it my slave, lest possibly, after I have preached to others, I myself should be disqualified" (1 Corinthians 9:27)

Just let the average Christian read the word "buffet" and instantly the taste buds perk up and the hunger pangs begin! We are notorious (especially we Baptists) for linking a meal to just about everything that we do! In fact, we would all have no problems whatsoever being obedient if God was actually challenging us here to "buffet" (buf-fay') our bodies in that respect.

But the Apostle Paul was definitely not talking about your favorite smorgasbord eatery! Rather he was letting the Corinthian believers know how important to him it was to "discipline" himself and to make sure that he controlled his physical body instead of allowing it to control him. The Greek verb hupopiazo means quite literally "strike under the eye" as in giving yourself what we used to call a good old-fashioned "shiner." Now Paul clearly wasn't referring to some strange form of self-flagellation but was instead speaking figuratively of his own system of spiritual discipline over his flesh and its desires.

One of the greatest problems which we seem to have as Christians today is the mastery of our flesh, beloved. And that brings me back to the thought of a "buffet" (as in food!) for an example. Eating at a buffet is the one area where you can be sure that all Christians will devoutly believe in "good stewardship"! How many times have I myself reasoned that I just had to have that second plateful of food so that I could justify the cost of the buffet! Sound familiar? I thought so! You see, in such cases we don't control our bodies but they control us. It is we who are the slaves and our desires that are the masters over us.

The Greek word doulagogeo means "bring into bondage" and is the picture of the victor leading the vanquished about in chains. Paul lets us know even today that as Christians we have only two options from which to choose. We can either be the slave or we can be the master. If we let our flesh dominate us, then we will become slaves to our flesh. But if, as Paul did, we are willing to "buffet" our body, to control ourselves spiritually, we will not find in the end that we have been "disqualified" from service.

Buffet my body? Absolutely! While the line for a clean plate at the local smorgy is a good place to start, beloved, we all need to discipline ourselves to think, talk, and act like Jesus. We need to "walk in the Spirit," as Paul told the Galatians, and then we will find that we will not fall prey to the desires of the flesh. Buffet anyone?

Ron