Because you Were Bought with a Price: Biblical Stewardship of our Health

By: Francine Hollis

Last year, I had a health scare. Praise the Lord that it was not as bad as it could have been, especially since, as much as I hate to admit, I “sort of” contributed to it.  I have a chronic hormonal imbalance that requires me to be extremely diligent about my eating habits. However, I had not been diligent. In fact, I knowingly ate in contradiction to the diet that I am supposed to keep.  Did I hear the Holy Spirit speaking to me about it? Many times, Yes. Did I ignore him and eat it anyway? Too many times, Yes. Over time, I hardly felt any “nudge” at all and I eventually experienced the consequence of my unhealthy eating.  1 Corinthians 6:19-20 says,

 “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.”

YOU are now the temple of the Holy Spirit and are called to biblical stewardship of that temple. The price paid was the blood of Christ that purchased us. Because of that fact, Moody Bible Commentary puts it this way, “[God] requires that each glorify [Him] (live to enhance God’s reputation in the world) in [their] physical body (pg 1784).” What does the way you treat your body, God’s temple, do for God’s reputation in the world?

The Great Separation

Initially, I wondered if this topic were too mundane (worldly or non-spiritual) for an audience of Urban Christian Women. But it is exactly the opposite of mundane. It is quite the spiritual work, the care of our physical bodies. I spent far too many years compartmentalizing, separating the treatment of my physical body from my spiritual maturity. Instead, however, they are intertwined.  In my experience, the neglect of the body often means that spiritual neglect or insensitivity to the Holy Spirit may not be far behind as we use food to fulfill our soul hunger. It is a form of idolatry and 1 John 5:21 warns us,

“…keep yourselves from idols.” 

Persisting in unhealthy eating habits reflects a lack of self-control, a fruit of the Spirit we should be bearing according to Galatians 5:23.  For me, I had let food become an idol so that pleasing my flesh through consumption was more important than my obedience to God. And in that, I am probably not alone.

Time and time again, men and women of faith whom we love and admire walk in obedience in most areas of their lives except their health and how they treat their bodies. If we told lies, fornicated, gossiped, were envious and covetous women, there would be no question of that behavior being in direct disobedience to God’s Word. But improper eating and poor/nonexistent exercise habits too often get a pass in the Body of Christ. Ironically, it is a sin that can be very obvious as its results show up physically. Yet, it is not easily talked about.  We need to challenge our brothers and sisters to walk in obedience. Poor stewardship of our bodies should not fall outside of the purview of accountability within the Church.

What can I Change?

If this is your struggle, there are a couple of things we can do to address it. The first is to submit your eating to the Lord. I am not calling us to a specific weight or a certain body fat percentage. That is between you, the Lord, your physician and your healthy body support professionals (i.e. a trainer and nutritionist, etc.). Part of good stewardship is doing the best you know how with what you have. Research the proper ways to eat and ask the Holy Spirit for guidance as you do so. God made your body and he knows how to take care of it. The other side of that coin is that God made your body so put forth the effort to take care of it. His wisdom in partnership with your work.

Also, get active. God has designed us so that we are better physically, emotionally, mentally and, dare I say it, spiritually when we exercise. A devotional on YouVersion called, Patience: God’s Wisdom for Moms said it well. It said that when we are busy, physical fitness is usually the first thing we toss out. “We figure no one but us will notice. Wrong. Whether or not the lack of love for our bodies shows on the outside, we suffer on the inside. Eventually, the damage will be demonstrated in the form of impatience, irritability and general grouchiness. But when a woman feels good about herself, she’s more likely to treat others with goodness.” In other words, caring for your body better enables us to love as we are called to love, in the same way getting proper sleep gives you a greater reservoir of patience.

If you know and love someone who you suspect may be struggling, do not be afraid to say something. Weight is a sensitive topic in our society. I know this on a personal level since all of my nicknames in elementary and middle school were somehow related to my being overweight. I know how deeply an attack on your physical appearance can cut. It is not like telling your friend they have something in their teeth.  No, it leaves you far more vulnerable than that – to be criticized about something that you cannot change immediately. So I understand that it should be broached with sensitivity, grace, and love. But it should be broached just as any struggle with sin should be.

Not a Guilt Trip

I do not wish to shame you into never eating ice cream ever again. On the contrary, I am a huge fan of it myself! We can certainly mindfully indulge. But we also need to be aware of our responsibility as disciples of Christ to care for our health. Sometimes, the “sense” you get that you should not take that second helping is the Holy Spirit. And in my experience, a pattern of disobedience (or obedience) to the Lord can begin with our choice in that very moment. 

This is not something that we will always achieve perfectly. In many seasons of my life, it has felt like the thorn in my side. I relate to Paul in that

 “I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing (Romans 7:19).” 

Yet when we move from ignoring our ungodly behavior to awareness, we can bring it into submission to the Lord. Then we can draw on the power of the Holy Spirit to change it and that is a great place to start the journey.

Helpful Resources:

A Woman of Moderation: Breaking the Chains of Poor Eating Habits by Dee Brestin

Surrendering Hunger: 365 Devotions for Wholeness by Jan Johnson