Is Your Body a Temple of the Holy Spirit?

At one point in history, the Israelite history made a pilgrimage to a temple in Jerusalem to be where God was present, but Paul lets the Christians in Corinth know that they are now the temple of God.

"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." 1 Corinthians 6:19-20

What does it mean that our bodies are a temple of the Holy Spirit? How do we glorify God in our bodies? What kind of lifestyle or physical choices do we make in light of our body being the habitation of the Holy Spirit?

Our body is sacred space! We are even called to love God with all our strength/might.

I have been mulling this over in my mind and contemplating some personal changes for the future. Here are some things that come to mind that may impact my body glorifying God as His temple.

1. Lack of rest. We live in a fast paced, caffeine charged culture. Lack of sleep is a given at times. But lack of sleep impacts our mental acuity, emotional stability, and overall health. What if God gets glory when we are well rested?

2. Tanning Beds. In seeking to be stylish and "attractive" we expose ourselves to a leading cause of cancer. How does the vanity of ultraviolet exposure that puts us at significantly higher levels of risk for cancer glorify God?

3. Gluttony. Obesity is at epidemic levels in our society. We are more docile than we ever have been before. Obesity is a leading cause of a host of medical issues. Taking care of our temple is important!

4. Tattoos. Popular? Yes. But I wouldn't want you spray painting a pretty picture on my house. Might this distract from sanctity of the body?

5. Tobacco. Smoking, chewing, or dipping are all high factors for cancer and other health issues. There is simply no good thing that benefits the body from the use of tobacco. (Include vaping and marijuana under this one.) 

6. Alcohol. Many like to refer to supposed benefits of social drinking, but alcohol related deaths and health issues are significant issues in our society today. Inebriated individuals fail to bring glory to God in a hung over state. (Why I Don't Drink Alcohol) (Include other drugs that distort our ability to think soberly.)

7. Medicinal Dependance. I do not argue against medicine here. But it is worth nothing that there are some people who refuse to change their lifestyle and opt to use chemicals to offset their poor health choices. This does not bring glory to God.

8. Unnecessary bodily abuse. Workaholics who refuse to take a Sabbath rest may fall in this category. People who overwork their body would be here too. While sloth is definitely not pleasing to God, harming your body through excessive work is not glorifying either.

9. Living with stress. This world is full of stress, but what if we learned to process and deal with this stress instead of carry it and its ensuing health detriments? Stress harms God's temple long term.

10. Lack of exercise. It would be safe to say that couch potatoes are not bringing glory to God. I am not suggesting you need to be someone who is working out every day, has three gym memberships, and owns a treadmill. I am suggesting that we need to be intentional about being active with our body.

I will attempt to follow up in the future with full articles about each of the 10 ideas mentioned above. Which ones do you agree with or disagree with?

What might you add or subtract from the list above?

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Invest in People

The greatest wealth a person can have is deep friendships. We live in a moment of time in which authentic relationships are difficult to attain. He is not poor who has friends. 

1. Be encouraging. Plenty of people can find the negative, can you see the positive? Can you identify the divine potential in a person? Work at it. This is not flattery (nice things that are not necessarily true). Allow the Holy Spirit to identify in others what could be and then begin to encourage those around you with that information. 

2. Be generous. Give of your time. Share your resources. Make your talents available to others. Be willing to help someone be successful in their endeavor to accomplish something for Jesus. In a self-centered, coveting, stingy world, be unsparing in your investment in other people and the work to which God has called them.

3. Be kind. Animosity reigns in culture. Learn the power of kindness to those who cannot benefit you in anyway. A kind word can initiate healing. A kind word can break down barriers. A kind word can help make a friend. Kindness is often the beginning of lasting friendships.

4. Be patient. When we are investing in others, it is easy to be impatient with their progress. Setbacks, mistakes, or distractions can be a test of your patience. And also, your resolve to pour into people. Humans are not robots, they require patience. 

5. Be caring. Your ability to genuinely have concern about the well-being of another person is the most important motivation for your investment. If your investment is for selfish reasons of what that person could produce or accomplish for you, it is ill gotten gain. People matter to God. People should matter to you. 

6. Be joyful. Too many who have started the rewarding work of investment have had so much discouragement and frustration in the process that they have lost their joy. They carry on in duty and obligation. Joy is no longer to be found and they often forget that you can actually experience joy along the journey. The joy of the Lord can indeed be your strength as you invest in people.

7. Be truthful. Saying nice things that are not true is flattery. Flattery is a form of deceit and often used to manipulate others. The goal is not manipulation, but authentic investment in the well being and development of the person. Do not say things that are not true for the sake of a temporary emotional investment. Real love rejoices in the truth.

The greatest wealth you can experience apart from your relationship with God is friendships with others. The more friends, the greater the wealth! But to have friends, you must first be a friend.

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