The Correct Response

 As a Celiac I am always on my guard when it comes to buying and ordering food. Making sure the people understand what I can and cannot eat is vital to my health and my daughter's too. Food is the first defense to making sure that we stay well and feel well; however, this defense can be too defensive. While it is important to make sure the server at the restaurant knows how our food must be handled and prepared, it is also important that my body language, tone and word choice not be offensive.

If you know me at all, you know that I am a hot head. I have red hair for a reason. It's God's way of warning everyone about my temper, like a skunks stripes. Now, having a temper issue isn't a good thing and it is something that God has been working on with me for a long while and there is still work to be done. It is easy for me to stomp my feet and get my way when it comes to something I don't like. However, that isn't God's way. As it says in Matthew 5:44-45 "But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous." We are to love our enemies, because God loves everyone. He loves those who are gluten free and non gluten free. He loves those who are Christian and not Christian. A gluten free life style isn't more "righteous" then somebody else's , God doesn't favor people based on diet. So the way I treat someone about my gluten issues are important. While eating gluten free is vital for the health of my family, it is more important that I represent Jesus first, family second and celiacs third.

 It is easy for us to jump on any kind of bad news about celiacs and gluten free food and to defend our life style. However, how we respond is important. Recently a man stated on his facebook about what he thought of celiacs and not in the nicest way either, while claiming to be a chef. Unfortunately, his profile was public and it wasn't before long that bloggers and the news had access to this guys profile and were posting it all over the web. Within the same time frame people were writing bad reviews on the places he had worked to ensure that other gluten free people didn't touch those restaurants and to bring down their rating. Then more press was put on the topic and this man's work history only to find out that he wasn't a chef. Now all of those bad reviews out there are written based on a lie, all because so many people didn't take the time to find out the truth. Was this guy in the wrong for what he said? Yes, but the whole world can see our responses online. Those reviews are all over Yahoo and Urban Spoon. People posted like crazy about this guy on blogs and news sites. Other people can read these responses and make up there own mind about celiacs.

"If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her" John 8:7b. 

Celiac's already have a hard enough time getting through the world with judgments on why we eat the way we do. We do not need to add to the fire by acting poorly in response to our serve not knowing what gluten is or family members think we are hurting ourselves by not eating whole wheat. Celiacs are people and we need to remember that we are just as human as everyone else, we are imperfect.

I made the mistake once of responding harshly about a gluten comment on facebook. Before I knew it I had a full on argument with three people. I felt attacked. I had just read an article in a popular magazine that ticked me off on the topic of food allergies, then to see my friends make a statement about gluten was like a disaster waiting to happen. I should have bit my tongue, but didn't. I honestly thought that my comment wouldn't attract that much attention and cause me to damage friendships and to even lose a friend, and all because of something I said. As I look back, I realize now how my comment wasn't worth it and it didn't help anybody on any level.

So the next time someone makes a comment about gluten, try understanding their reason why from their point of view. Take the time to find out the facts before making quick judgments. Also, remember that your behavior will affect the next celiac or Christian that that person comes in contact with.

"Pursue peace with all [people], and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord: Looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled" Hebrews 12:14-15.