Fat Soul

Even in our tolerant society, describing someone as fat is usually perceived in a negative sense. It is just not polite to refer to someone as ‘fat.’

However, in the Hebrew language of the Old Testament ’fat’ was sometimes used to communicate fullness or satisfaction or good health. That was Solomon’s meaning in a proverb contrasting laziness and diligence:

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The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing,

But the soul of the diligent is made fat. 

--Proverbs 13:4

Humans understand cravings.

I once worked in an office setting in which a few of us would take our lunch together. We never watched the clock because one of my coworkers had an internal ‘lunch clock’ that went off at exactly 11:30 every day. He would pop up out of his chair, exit his office, stand in my doorway and “Ding, ding, ding!” an imaginary triangle. It was chow time.

We understand cravings. But what does the 'soul' crave?

A human being is made of body, soul and spirit (1 Thessalonians 5:23). Each aspect of the human being has its own cravings.

The 'body' craves food and drink, climate controlled environments, general comfort without pain, good health and a measure of strength, good looks, sexual satisfaction, rest, and maybe other things.

The 'spirit' consists of the intellect, emotion and the human will. There are cravings associated with each aspect of our spirit. The spirit craves knowledge and understanding, happiness and emotional stability, success and a sense of accomplishment, desires representing each of the three primary aspects of the spirit.

The human 'soul' is the ‘self.’ When God created mankind, He made man a “living soul.” The soul IS the person that you are. Your parents named your soul, not your body. When you refer to yourself you are referring to your soul. When someone calls your name, it is your soul being addressed. Your soul possesses your body and your spirit.

The soul is that aspect of your being that makes the ultimate choices in your life. Your body and spirit are influencers of the soul. Of course, the soul may allow the body to take charge; may allow the spirit to take charge. In general, these are poor choices because the body and spirit are generally interested only in satisfying the natural cravings they each perceive.

The proverb contrasts a soul lacking self-control with a disciplined soul. The soul desires something, presumably something good. Yet, lacking self-control, the lazy soul does not act. The ‘wanting’ is present, but the soul is weak and gives in to the influences of the body or the spirit.

However, the soul has the capacity to rule the body and refrain from giving in to its cravings. That is how a person curbs his appetite, engages in undesirable exercise, etc. The soul also has the capacity to quiet the cravings of the spirit. It is a matter of recognizing that which is of real importance and then accepting that as the greater value.

When the soul is diligent in pursuing things of real value, it engages self-control over the cravings of body and spirit. The result is a fat soul, that is, a soul that is satisfied or full, a soul fulfilling the more valuable choice. 

In the Proverbs the more valuable choices are wisdom, righteousness, justice, kindness, responsibility, etc. These are all characteristics of God. It sounds odd, but you should ‘fatten yourself’ on God’s character. 

Be wise.

Mark Stinnett

March 22, 2026

The Desire for Satisfaction

Have you ever walked out of a restaurant and smelled the savory offerings of a neighboring restaurant, only to think, “Ahh! that smells so good, I’d like to eat that”? Then, of course, you immediately recognize, “But, I just ate.”

That might be a key idea to marketing any product: Appeal to people’s senses so that they want what you have to offer whether they need it or not. It is the idea of creating the sense of a need and then proposing to offer a way to satisfy that perceived need.

When is the last time you saw a magazine ad, billboard or television commercial for fasting!?

Self-restraint just does not seem to be something that will bring happiness. Rather, happiness is to be found by engaging in all things fun and exciting and pleasurable and filling.

As kids my sister and I would ask mom if we could sprinkle salt into the palm of one hand and lick it up. Satisfying…. We had to ask permission because of what dad always said, “Too much of anything is bad for you.” Salt was his ’go-to’ example. “Our bodies need salt, but too much salt can harm your body.”

Yet, we craved salt as well as fruit flavored sugar balls (lemon drops and other sweets). We had little self-restraint. That was mom’s job.

As adults we all realize that it is no longer our moms’ job to force self-restraint on us. Yet, for the most part, our society is no friend to self-restraint.

Tolerance: Everyone, including yourself, should be able do as he/she pleases. For many people today, the greatest injustice is in keeping someone from doing what they want to do or telling them to do something they prefer not to do.

From sex to drugs and alcohol to entertainment, “Don’t tell me I can't have what I want.”

From vaccinations to taxes, “Don’t tell me what I have to do.”

Our society has created for itself an atmosphere of satisfaction that practically abhors restraint. We cannot seem to grasp the contradiction that so many of us live out in our day:

We eat to our satisfaction with the selection, quantity, quality we want, but destroy our health and find it difficult to function. We are not satisfied.

We buy, buy, buy; then, rent storage and buy more. We take out loans and work more. All of our stuff consumes our time and our thoughts. The momentary satisfaction fades long before we (or our kids) sell our stuff at huge discounts at an estate sale. We are not satisfied.

Our society is full of people who follow their fleshly desires for intimacy. (Wait! Let’s call it what it is...sexual pleasure.) Yet, our society is full of people lacking meaningful relationships. The momentary pleasure does not satisfy.

Money itself does not satisfy.

Self-control...

• It is a fruit of the spirit (Galatians 5;23). 
• It is a mark of spiritual maturity (1 Peter 1:6). 
• It is a matter of godliness (1 Timothy 4:7).

Would you like satisfaction that is not fleeting? Would you like to be truly filled in a way that has lasting results? It will require self-restraint regarding the dazzling promises of happiness in this life. It will require a different perception of what is good. It will require that you ignore your fleshly impulses; that you ignore the gluttonous marketing of our day. You must value true life.

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,

for they shall be satisfied.

—Matthew 5:6

Mark Stinnett

January 16, 2022

How Do You Stop The Devil? (Part 5)

Temptation is not really temptation unless it is… tempting...that is, desirable. For example, if you tried to use Brussel sprouts to entice someone to break the law, it probably will not work, unless they really crave Brussel sprouts. If there is no desire, there is no real temptation.

In addition, temptation might not be tempting if there is no possibility of actually satisfying one’s desire. For example, if you tried to tempt someone with a million dollars to do something immoral, but they knew that you could not possibly produce a million dollars...no temptation. The potential for fulfillment, even if an illusion, must be perceived as possible or real.

With these thoughts in mind consider the third temptation of Jesus as recorded in Matthew 4:8-9.

Again, the devil took Him to a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory; and he said to Him, “All these things I will give You, if You fall down and worship me.”

Don’t think that Jesus just shrugged this off with no interest or that the enticing offer was a dud. The devil was making a very desirable offer that he could apparently fulfill to some degree. He asked Jesus to do something that was unmistakably wrong, but the enticement was to rule the world. What if Jesus had given in to the Devil's offer?

Sometimes the devil attacks Christians in the same. He offers something that is very desirable, but the cost is far greater than its value.

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Did you know that Jesus IS ruler of the world?

The Apostle Peter wrote about Jesus after He had been raised from the dead and had ascended into heaven saying that He is:

“...at the right hand of God, having gone into heaven, after angels and authorities and powers had been subjected to Him.” —1 Peter 3:22

That sounds like Jesus received from God the very thing that the devil had offered.

Not only that, not long before Jesus ascended into heaven He told His apostles:

“All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.”

—Matthew 28:18

That sounds like Jesus had received something from God that was even better than what the devil offered; not just rule on earth, but rule in heaven as well.

When tempted by the devil, Jesus realized that the amazing offer was inferior to the inheritance He would receive from God.

Modern America (and I think that includes you) is an easy prey for the devil’s deceptions of instant gratification. So many people wish to indulge in every aspect of life: food, leisure, sex, entertainment, travel, hobbies, and the list goes on. The devil offers immediate fulfillment. However, his fulfillment never fully fills. Only in the moment is there any sense of gratification. His fulfillment is only temporary. Then, the sensation wears off and desire returns, often increasing.

The devil offers shortcuts to promises. However, the devil’s ‘promises’ are:

• Always inferior to God’s promises;
• Always at an extremely high price; and
• Always opposed to the will of God.

So, what IF...for the rest of your life, your immediate desires are not satisfied...yet you inherit eternal life???

How do you stop the devil?

There is a battle for your mind! 
You must engage you mind; you must desire to do God's will. Then...
Reject his inferior offers, because the price tag is far too high.
And, wait on God for true fulfillment.