“Or know ye not that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit which is in you, which ye have from God? And ye are not your own; for ye were bought with a price: glorify God therefore in your body.”
1 Corinthians 6: 19-20 KJV
I just got home today from a conference surrounded by my colleagues in internal medicine, learning about updates in the field, wellness, resiliency, and networking. And so, of course, this, one of my favorite passages, resonates with me today. Because I find that we often forget…I often forget…that my body, this thing that I sometimes neglect in the name of serving others, houses the Spirit.
So let’s talk about that. Let’s talk about what that means.
When the Israelites were privileged to have God in their presence, they were instructed to build a tabernacle. It was holy, and sacred. They had specific instructions for its care, and for who could enter, and how they could enter.
Through the perfect sacrifice of Jesus, Christians are privileged to have access to this relationship 24/7, in our own bodies. It means our bodies are sacred places. It means our wellness is a sacred thing—after all, we only get one physical temple. Yes, it will age. It will become ill. It will meet hardships. But we are also given the responsibility to treat it with the respect and honor of the temple that houses the Spirit.
Growing up, I always heard this read to teach against tattoos, sexual immorality, etc. But as a physician and someone who is learning more and more what it truly means to live well, I truly feel we’ve done this verse a disservice, and that treating our bodies with respect is so much deeper than this.
Eat well. Stop putting so much fast food, processed food, sugar and excess into our bodies that we constantly feel sluggish.
Exercise. Renew energy and build strength through movement.
Rest. Stop burning the candle at both ends and sit down long enough to hear God’s voice and direction in our lives.
Draw boundaries. Learn to say no to the things that aren’t serving His purpose in our lives or allowing us time to ensure we are caring for ourselves.
Give the Spirit a home that is strong, resilient, and ready to serve.
I know I’m still learning. I’m a work in progress. But it’s so important to remember that caring for this body is important as we are stewards of all we’ve been given, and health is such an important blessing! Let’s not take it for granted.