Yesterday, I wrote about the “Matthew Principle” based on Jesus’s teaching in Matthew 25:29 where he says:

“For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them.”

We typically think of this in terms of finances and economics, but I think it applies to many areas of our lives, including our health.

In fact, I remember years ago when I was a resident, I had just seen a number of really sick people with my attending physician. And they were just getting sicker by the day.

At the end of the day, I was thinking about this verse and I actually quoted it to the doctor I was with.

He looked at me kinda funny.

My point was that some folks seem to get caught in a downward health spiral where one health problem leads to another.

Poor diet leads to weight gain, which leads to joint pains, which leads to being sedentary, which leads to more weight gain, which leads to high blood pressure, and diabetes, which lead to heart disease and stroke, which leads to dementia, etc.

Not to mention the acid reflux, the weird skin rashes, the migraines, the abdominal bloating and GI issues. It just starts to pile up.

And I’ve seen this happen many, many times with people! It’s terrible!

Honestly, it’s the most discouraging thing about being a doctor… watching people destroy their bodies over time.

I really don’t say this to shame anyone. This downward spiral is very common and VERY easy to slip into in our culture.

I say this in an attempt to first shine a light on it to identify it, but more importantly, to be an encouragement.

Because it doesn’t HAVE to be this way.

The hardest part is just taking the first step.

AND, if you can just get started with small steps in the right direction, then, as Jesus says, you are very likely to pick up momentum.

And pretty soon, you are undoing the damage and getting healthier by the day.

Even the little you have will become more and more.

And that is an encouraging thought.