Where much [opportunity for healthy living] is given, much is required

D&C 82:3 "For of him unto whom much is given much is required, and he who sins against the greater light shall receive the greater condemnation."

See also Luke 12:48 "For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall much be required."

I was reading the scriptures the other day and started to ponder over these two verses.  The idea presented here is generally understood by Latter-day Saints and other Christians to mean, as Uncle Ben told Peter Parker, "With great power comes great responsibility."  I find it fascinating that those with privilege are often those who do not use their resources well.  Of course, they enjoy them, they throw parties with them, and they take full advantage to serve their own desires.  Yet they fail to realize that their position and their possessions are given to them so that they may fulfill greater responsibilities.  It is those who have little who realize the value of their few possessions and the magnitude of their positions.

I began thinking about this as I was reading a scriptural account of a family traveling in the wilderness.  The simple matter of sustenance was an issue of great importance to this family.  The same issue was a concern for the pioneers crossing the plains, for those who lived during the Great Depression, for anyone who is from a poorer class or who lived before 1950.  For those of us who live in developed countries now, we are blessed to have grocery stores, bakeries, delis, restaurants, and more places where we can buy virtually any kind of food.  It used to be, and still is for some, a matter of "Will I have enough flour and maybe some meat for a small breakfast and dinner to get me through the day?"  Now, we have food enough for a balanced meal three times a day, not to mention snacks.  We don't even have to be farmers ourselves to have such choices in sustenance.  We also have the resources for exercise -- many more sports have been invented, there are gyms everywhere, and good athletic shoes/gear are available for anyone to use.  True, most of us don't have to work in the fields or the factories all day, but we have access to these resources that can keep us healthy and energized instead of suffering from disease and malnutrition for not being able to treat our bodies well.  We are truly blessed.

How are these two thoughts related?  I don't remember how they came together in my mind, but when I was thinking about food and resources that we have at our disposal today, I suddenly began thinking about the above two scriptures.  Where much is given, much is required.  We have so many options for eating food, and so many options for exercise.  But do we use them properly, or at all?  How many of us ignore the fruits and vegetable section of the grocery story and instead go for the mac and cheese or the chips and dip?  How many of us grab a burger and fries at the nearest fast food place instead of spending a few extra minutes to make a real lunch?  How many of us would rather sit on the couch and veg after work instead of going to the gym?  How many of us would rather just let our kids watch T.V. or play video and computer games instead of encouraging them to go outside and play?  We have all these resources at our hands, yet we neglect to use them.  We have much.  Much is required of us.  But we are failing to uphold our responsibilities.

I will be the first to admit that I could eat healthier, and I ought to have spent more of my life exercising and taking care of my body.  Recognizing this helps me encourage myself to take advantage of these wonderful opportunities.  Instead of being lazy, I have discovered that forcing myself to exercise actually invigorates my body and my mind, even when I'm tired beforehand -- if I can get myself to do it, I never regret it, and I always feel better afterward.  Eating fresh fruits and vegetables instead of chips or candy actually makes me feel better and more energized.  Who would have known such a thing?  I'm pretty sure the Lord does!  As do those who already have these habits of healthy eating and healthy living.  I am not very healthy now, but I will be one day.  I am working toward that.  No, I did not write this to chastise any specific person--it's not my place to do so, anyway--nor do I want to praise myself for doing what I'm doing.  Far from it.  But I hope this made us all think a little bit about how we have been neglecting the gifts that the Lord has given us, perhaps unconsciously, perhaps on purpose, perhaps a little bit of both.  I think that those who have gone before us would be overwhelmed and overjoyed at the availability of food for a balanced diet that we have before us.  They were not so fortunate, and had to rely mostly on food like flour and meal for energy to get through the day.  Logically, we should be the healthier people, but we are not.  We are a lot healthier when it comes to cleanliness and disease, and our average life span is longer, but when it comes to day-to-day living and keeping our bodies in shape?  We fail miserably.  I know that there are other factors to consider besides eating healthy and exercising, but I feel strongly that if we were to fulfill these responsibilities and remember that where much is given, much is required, we would be a much healthier people.