The outcome of last night’s Super Bowl may affect your diet today.
A study from Psychological Science, which tracked football scores and eating behavior over two NFL seasons, says a person’s eating behavior on the Monday following a Sunday football game is strongly affected by his or her team’s outcome.
For example, on the Monday after the game, fans who cheered for the losing team consumed 16 percent more high-calorie, high-fat processed foods compared to a typical weekday; the numbers jumped by as much as 28 percent if the defeat came at the hand of an arch-rival.
However, fans who cheered for the winning team experienced a 9 percent drop in the average intake of high-calorie processed food on the Monday following the game; researchers saw a 16 percent decrease after thrilling victories.
(If you need an emotional boost today, celebrate with me as my favorite high school basketball team, the Churchill Chargers, won a recent game with this winning bucket at the buzzer. With more than 300 career wins, my brother is the head coach.)
Bottom line? Everyone loves to win, and we all want to be part of the winning team.
As followers of Christ, we are on the winning team. We know where history leads and how the story will end – Jesus is coming soon to make all things new (Revelation 21:5).
Scripture promises God will defeat all enemies including:
Evil – Satan is trying to wreak havoc now because he knows his time is short (Revelation 12:12). One day, Jesus will overcome all forces of evil and ensure that Satan is tormented day and night forever and ever (Revelation 20:10; Revelation 17:14).
Sorrow – God will live with His people and “wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away” (Revelation 21:4).
Death – Jesus, who holds the keys to death, said: “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live even if he dies” (John 11:25). The sting of death dies for those who follow Christ because they live forever (1 Corinthians 15:54-57).
At the end of the age, it won’t matter whether you cared more about the score or commercials in last night’s Super Bowl, or if you watched the game at all.
What will matter is who is in Heaven because you shared Jesus with them.
So, share the good news today.
The world is hungry for God’s truth and love.
In Luke 22, Jesus made a fascinating promise to His disciples while they were eating the “Last Supper” together the night before His crucifixion.
Jesus said:
“I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks, he said, “Take this and divide it among yourselves. For I tell you that from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes” (Luke 22:15-18).
To learn more about the supper Jesus mentions, Bible scholars suggest you read Revelation 19:9.
That’s a feast you want to attend – with everyone you love.
Laura Lacey Johnson is a cutting-edge faith and culture writer who focuses on everyday headlines. In addition to speaking, she is a regular contributor to ChristianHeadlines.com and American Family Radio. To read Laura’s latest work on the headlines, visit www.lauralaceyjohnson.com, or to download your FREE copy of Why Jerusalem is Important to 3 World Religions, subscribe to her blog here.
Photo: Brandon Graham #55 of the Philadelphia Eagles forces Tom Brady #12 of the New England Patriots to fumble during the fourth quarter in Super Bowl LII at U.S. Bank Stadium on February 4, 2018 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Photo courtesy: Hannah Foslien/Getty Images
Publication date: February 5, 2018
