How to Build a Habit

Appetite Comes with Eating

Our text is one of the “beatitudes” from Jesus.

Matthew 5:6, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.” 

Once I was teaching this verse when One of the class members asked, “How can you develop a hunger for righteousness?” It was then that my mind ran back to this old proverb, “Appetite comes with eating.”

Let me explain, I recently was reading some old notes about why we ought to read the Bible. The notes were the usual things that preachers share: (1) It is the inspired Word of God, (2) It tells us about God, (3) It contains the answers to life’s question.

To that list I want to add another. “Appetite comes with eating.” The full text of this old French proverb says, “Appetite comes with eating; the more one has, the more one would have.”

That may not seem like a sensible reason to read the Bible or anything other than eat, but after you think about it, it will make sense. When I first read this proverb I too raced through it and did not see the great truth in it. Later I began to reflect on it and realized the life principle in it. Its meaning is simple.

Appetite comes with eating. If you are watching your weight and want to avoid eating a donut tomorrow, do not eat one today. If you want to avoid eating a second piece of cake, do not eat the first piece. “Appetite comes with eating; the more one has, the more one would have.”

Here is a life application. If you want to be more of anything. If you want to build any habit in your life, then start acting that way. If you want to build a great prayer life, start a small prayer life. It will grow. If you want to get into the habit of worshipping God faithfully, go to church next Sunday, then go the next and the next. In time it will seem normal to you. Appetite comes from eating.

 If you want to become more spiritual tomorrow, practice spiritual things today. One does not become a great prayer warrior in one day. One does not go from casual acquaintance with the Bible to deep knowledge in one week. Begin today to make small changes. It will make the big change feel more natural tomorrow.

Appetite comes with eating. 

~Lonnie Davis