Day 27

Temperance and physical health

Temperance has a limited definition in this world. The temperance movement is about ‘signing the pledge’ and giving up alcohol for life. That definition and the picture that goes with the definition also limits the influence of temperate people on the world around them.

People who ‘signed the pledge’ were slightly odd. They kept themselves apart.

The last temperance pub in Great Britain is in the town of Rawtenstall. If you like sarsaparilla and dandelion and burdock drinks that is the place to go. Go in to the pub, and I have done on a number of occasions, you will find pleasant people serving pleasant tasting drinks. However the people of Rawtenstall don’t go there in numbers.

Our author is very practical and very sensible. He illustrates what temperance is. A person who is temperate is a person who makes a conscious decision to make sure that they look after themselves in all areas of life. They don’t eat too much or too little. A temperate person strikes the right balance about how much they work – not working too hard, not working too little.

A temperate person doesn’t go over the top with their spirituality. A temperate person doesn’t spend all their time with their head in the Bible or down on their knees. A temperate person is the kind of person who people can easily get on with.

Jesus was a temperate person. He ate fish, drank wine – only the best and non-alcoholic, worked but balanced that with plenty of opportunities to take time with God. He was remarkable in that he and his disciples ate when John’s disciples fasted. Jesus was the one who could get on with all sorts – even sinners.

Peter