We’re all familiar with the saying, “It’s not what’s on the outside, it’s what’s on the inside that counts.” Did you know that is in the Bible? Seriously....in 1 Samuel 16:7, ”But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.” Apparently, people during Old Testament times were just as concerned with body image as we are today.
What spurred my thoughts to run to jiggley arms and muffin tops? I just read Margot Starbuck's book, Unsqueezed: Springing Free From Skinny Jeans, Nose Jobs, Highlights, and Stilettos. If you're not familiar with Margot, she has a dry, sarcastic, witty sense of humor and draws heavily on her own life for examples. Stiffling chuckles and silently being convicted as I read, I began to think about body image, relationships, and life in general.
The Bible says we are made in God’s image (Gen 1:27), and our bodies are a temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor 6:19-20). I fail to see anything divine in the jiggly underarm wings and muffin tops we develop as we get older. But wait......could it be that we defiled our temple with daily runs to Starbucks for caramel macchiatos and to McDonalds for super-sized value meals? Jesus walked--a lot--and ate a healthy diet. If we are to care for our bodies, we should follow suit.
It's not just our eating habits in which we are negligent. We are also apathetic in our pursuit of Christianity. Our lives have become convenient and comfortable. Christianity has shifted from a "go" mentality ("go ye therefore into all the nations...baptizing..teaching) to a "come" mentality (come to church and see what God can do for you).
Stay tuned as we explore these themes in upcoming articles!
Blessings!
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