SPIRITUAL JUNKFOOD

In his Sermon on the Mount, Jesus declared, "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled." (Matt 5:6)

The Lord desires to fill us with true righteousness. Therefore, we need to be on guard against the cheap knock-off, self-righteousness.

If God's righteousness is what truly satisfies our hunger and thirst for right relationship with Him and others, then self-righteousness is the spiritual equivalent of junk food.

Dictionary.com's definition is right on target for what I mean by "self-righteousness": Being "confident of one's own righteousness, especially when smugly moralistic and intolerant of the opinions and behavior of others." 

What do you think? Does this analogy hold? I leave it to you to connect the dots between food and righteousness:

•     Junk food only resembles real food in that we put it in our mouths and chew it.
•     Junk food starts off as real food, but is then put through a process that makes it the most unhealthy version imaginable, full of salt and fat and sugar. 
•     It is because of the bad ingredients - not in spite of them - that we find junk food so irresistible. 
•     Junk food might give us some momentary jolt of energy, but provides nothing of lasting value.
•     Preparing real food takes time and energy. Junk food is fast and easy.
•     Real food is costly, especially if what we buy is organic and free of GMOs, hormones, antibiotics, preservatives, and corn syrup. Junk food is crazy cheap in comparison.
•     Real food is necessary. Junk food is not only unnecessary, it is harmful in the long run.
•     Indulging in junk food leaves us unsatisfied ... and, ironically, craving MORE junk food.
•     Junk food is about immediate satisfaction. Real food is about long-term health and well-being. 
•     Real food has the power to heal our diseases. Junk food tends to exacerbate our diseases and sometimes even causes them. 
• Eating junk food can spoil our appetite for real food. 

Any others I have missed?