Our Bodies Are a Gift From God: Treat Them Well :: Deeper Devotion

By Carolina Kavanaugh

Nobody wants to be overweight

Millions of dollars are spent every year on products that promise people weight loss and healthier lives. So why is it that the obesity level in the United States continues to climb in 49 out of 50 states? How do we as Christians respond to this obesity issue in our own lives?

Do we “listen” to what the Bible says?

I think we’ve all thought of our health in reference to 1 Corinthians 6:19, in which the Bible tells us that our bodies are a temple of the Holy Spirit. We think about how we ought to be inclined to take care of our bodies because they house the Holy Spirit, but do we really live that mentality out?

In our culture, it is very difficult to maintain a healthy lifestyle. In fact, it is almost weird to do so. It is common to see refrigerators full of sugar-packed and processed food, but, if you look in someone’s fridge and see vegetables and water, you’re likely to call them a “health nut”. But are they really the nut?

Good stewardship does not equal idol making

However, just because it’s not the most important issue in our lives, doesn’t mean that it should sit on the sidelines altogether.

I think one of the reasons why Christians often struggle with weight issues as much as non believers is that we know that physical muscle is not as important as spiritual muscle. We know that God is not looking at us and deciding whether he will love us based on the size of our love handles. However, just because it’s not the most important issue in our lives, doesn’t mean that it should sit on the sidelines altogether. God designed our bodies to work in a wonderfully complex way and we have the responsibility to take care of it.

At the same time, we have to be careful that we are taking care of ourselves for the right reason, which is to thankfully steward a gift from God. We cannot do it out of selfish motives or vanity because that mentality leads us to create idols, where looking good is all that we care about.

So just because the obesity level is climbing in our country, you can choose not to be a part of that statistic by caring for yourself to the glory of God.

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