The Blue Zone

Recently while teaching at a conference, we found ourselves in a “Blue Zone” (no, we weren’t feeling gloomy). A “blue zone” is a unique region of the world where there is a high percentage of people who live to be 100 or more. Scientists continue to study these zones trying to figure out “what’s the “secret sauce”? “How do they lead such long and healthy lives?” Scientists are quite literally trying to identify and then reverse engineer the source of long life. Not that I particularly want to live a long time here on earth, but I’ll admit, I too was hoping to gain some insight. After all, I want to live as healthy as possible and have a good quality of life for as long as God has me here.

So, like the scientists, I wondered, What are they doing that I’m not doing? What are they eating that I’m not eating? Here’s what I observed: It’s true, the environment was very clean, the people do walk a lot more than I do, and their normal diet was probably healthier than most. But you know what else I discovered? I can still be unhealthy, even in a blue zone (shout out to Captain Kangaroo Burgers)! Just by putting myself in a “blue zone” doesn’t automatically make me healthier. I need to make some better lifestyle choices.

Just as on the physical level we make choices every day about how we live and what we put into our mouths, etc. Similarly in our spiritual life, we make choices every day about how we will live, what we will allow into our minds and hearts. We decide what we will watch, what we will read, what we will listen to, what podcast to follow, and how we will spend our time, etc. In short, we decide what we will fill ourselves with and what environment we put ourselves in. So, as we mature in the Lord, through the power of the Holy Spirit, we will probably need to make some lifestyle changes if we desire to be strong and healthy spiritually.

God describes it this way in Galatians 6:7-8 NKJV “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.” Makes sense, right?

So, do you want to live in a spiritual “blue zone”? Let’s be “doers of the Word and not hearers only”* In His Word, He’s already given us all we need.

“His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness. Through these He has given us His very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.” 2 Peter 1:3-4 NIV

* James 1:22