Ponderize D&C 89:18-21 (15-21 May 16)

 18 And all saints who remember to keep and do these sayings, walking in obedience to the commandments, shall receive health in their navel and marrow to their bones;

 19 And shall find wisdom and great treasures of knowledge, even hidden treasures;

 20 And shall run and not be weary, and shall walk and not faint.

 21 And I, the Lord, give unto them a promise, that the destroying angel shall pass by them, as the children of Israel, and not slay them. Amen.  

D&C 89:18-21

When I read the promise of the Word of Wisdom I tend to take the pragmatic view:  Can you run and not be weary?  If not, then perhaps you need to check your obedience to the Word of Wisdom.   However it goes deeper than that.  

In years past the Mormons where held up as having better health than the average American.  This is no longer the case.  We are not singled out as having better health as a people than any other group.  Why is that?  Perhaps it is that most of the people in the United States have come to the realization that smoking is bad for you and it causes cancer and heart disease.  Many people in the US have stopped smoking.  This has narrowed the gap.   Unfortunately the standard American diet has also become the standard for the LDS community.   This poor diet is known to be the primary cause of the increase in obesity, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes.   The majority of LDS members in the developed world have chosen to disregard verses 10-17 of this “principle with promise”.   Simply applying the principles in these verses would reduce the instance of these preventable diseases.    Who is the destroying angel in our day?  Just as there were plagues in Egypt called down by Moses, so too there are plagues in our day.  These plagues are causing unnecessary disease and death.  We think the benefits of the word of wisdom are limited to preventing lung cancer from not smoking.  However, it is more than that.  If we seek to obey all of the Word of Wisdom we will be spared from a whole list of chronic (yet preventable) illnesses. 

Quote:  
The Word of Wisdom was “given for a principle with promise” (D&C 89:3). That word principle in the revelation is a very important one. A principle is an enduring truth, a law,a rule you can adopt to guide you in making decisions. Generally principles are not spelled out in detail. That leaves you free to find your way with an enduring truth, a principle, as your anchor.  (Boyd K. Packer, “The Word of Wisdom, The Principle and the Promises”, April 1996)

Cross References:
1 Corinthians 3:16-17
2 Timothy 3:1-7
D&C 93:35
Alma 7:23
D&C 104:17
Genesis 9:3-4
Abraham 4:29
1 Timothy 4:3
Daniel 1:8, 15-21
D&C 59:16-20
D&C 49:18
Romans 14:23
D&C 42:43
1 Corinthians 3:16-17
Leviticus 11:43-44