Taking Care of Our Bodies
Scripture Reading — 1 Corinthians 6:19-20
You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.
1 Corinthians 6:19-20
In the past few years a sobering statistic has emerged: over 300 million people in the developed world are dangerously overweight. Obesity rates are also skyrocketing among children, including children in Nigeria and China. Doctors are now warning about the increasing health risks of obesity.
How should Christians respond to this issue? The Bible doesn’t address it directly, since this is a relatively new challenge. But the Scriptures do say that our “bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit.” The original context for this teaching was concern about sexual immorality in the city of Corinth. Against this background the apostle Paul teaches an important biblical principle that applies in many situations. As Christians, we are called to value our bodies and take good care of them.
Jesus gave his own body to save us. And we are encouraged to be good stewards of our physical body as well as our soul, for we belong to God both physically and spiritually.
Our genetics influence whether we are tall or short, thin or stocky. Regardless of how we are genetically wired, it’s part of our calling to maintain healthy eating habits, moderation, and exercise. There isn’t a perfect size waistline for all believers. But God does want us to be as healthy as possible, as we serve him and our neighbor.
Our Father, your Son gave up his own body to save us. Give us wisdom and dedication to take good care of our bodies, because we know they belong to you. Amen.
About the author — Sergei Sosedkin
Sergei Sosedkin is the Russian-language ministry leader for ReFrame Ministries. He is a native of Moscow, Russia. As he oversees the Russian-language ministry, Sosedkin works from our office in Grand Rapids and in various locations in Russia.
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