Stewardship over our bodies

The human body. Such an incredible creation.

God has given us this amazing vessel to do His work while we are on His Earth. This human body has been placed in our care and we are charged with being a good steward of it.

Like borrowing your dad’s car, let us take care of it while also exploring its limits.

Our bodies, which we are all so blessed to be borrowing, are complex machines with extraordinary abilities. Abilities that lay dormant if not exercised, honed and shepherded. It is our obligation to understand the requirements of this body to function at its most optimal level. Otherwise, how can we do our best work?

If we want to be able to recognize all the gifts God has entrusted us with we need to start with ourselves. We need to be wise managers or stewards of our body if we want to effectively identify and use our gifts. Being a wise steward of our body means we need to look after our body and its various parts. Yes, we should avoid using our body in an immoral or unclean way, but it also means we should keep our body in good shape, taking care of it as best we can.

More specifically I want to touch on something that I’ve been exploring a lot more recently. Let’s just call it, Fuel. In fact, Jordan and I have been helping other people take a different perspective on what fuels the body so that they may perform at their best and exhibit His glory in everything they do.

What we put into our body matters.

How do we keep our bodies healthy and useful to God for as long as possible? We need to be careful about the food we eat and we need to exercise. It is a known fact that most people eat too much junk food – high in sugar, trans-fats and salt. All these things are extremely bad for the body when eaten in such large amounts. It is a known medical fact that problems such as high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity, diabetes and even mood swings can be closely related to a poor diet – eating the wrong things and eating too much.

I know, this is nothing new to you. You’ve heard it a thousand times. But are you actively working on improving your knowledge on the fuel that you are using? Really? We need to be cautious about what the world tells us are the best things to include in our diets. I’m being generic here on purpose. I have strong opinions here but I want you to engage in this journey of discovery for yourself.

Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? — 1 Corinthians 6:19

If we are not tending to this temple in a manner pleasing to God and in a manner that allows us to use it at it’s fullest then how can we tackle bigger questions and issues we may have?

God cares about our bodies. Jesus took on a human body. Just let that sink in for a moment. We were made in His image and Jesus himself took on the same vessel that you find yourself in right now. If that doesn’t cause you to place more value on the one you have, I’m not sure what will.

There is a strong connection between physical health and spiritual health and I implore you to make it part of your study and discipline. In Romans 12:1, Paul says, “Offer your bodies as a living sacrifice.” Physical discipleship is an ongoing, living sacrifice. We need to take care of our bodies so that we may have the vitality to speak God’s truth and encourage other people by exhibiting strong physical and spiritual health.

You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies. — 1 Corinthians 6:19-20

When we believe we own our own bodies, we treat them in whatever way we feel, even abusing them. We should look at it as taking care of someone else’s property. Treating it with respect, and when the time comes to return it in better condition than we received it.

Don’t let neglectful stewardship of your body lead you down a path where you are physically unable to do the Lord’s work. Begin to think how you may be causing damage to your vessel. We don’t want to break the Holy vessel that God has given us to do His good will. Start today and become a steward of your body!