Recently, I was researching a nutritional article when I came across this photo of a garbage bag on a plate.
The author was saying that many people complain of emotional instability, weight gain, low energy, and other negative symptoms.
However, "feeding" the issue is that the foods they eat regularly consists of nutritional garbage!
That gets your attention, doesn't it?
Providing our bodies with low quality foods is the same as providing a builder with low quality repair materials.
Eventually, the person who lives in that poorly-maintained property will experience serious problems.
Respecting Another's Property
Imagine this: Suppose you owned a property. You've taken time to fix it up, paint, landscape, and make it look nice.
A lady approaches you about renting it. You agree and she becomes your tenant.
Some months later, you check on the property. But what is this?
The yard is overgrown. Trash is strewn all over. When you go inside, holes are in the walls and dirty dishes are in the sink.
Roaches are crawling everywhere. The tub and toilet look like they have never been cleaned.
The property that you took such care in restoring shows no sign of that now.
Would you say that your tenant appreciated your property? No.
The word "appreciation" means "to add value."
If the tenant really appreciated the property, she would have maintained it.
Not only would her actions have shown appreciation for the property, but respect for you.
A Responsible Tenant
The mindset of a responsible tenant is wise to maintain concerning taking care of our bodies.
After all, our bodies are our temporary residence while we are here on Earth.
Our bodies do not belong to us according to 1 Corinthians 6:19-20:
Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s."
While Paul was addressing sexual immorality here, the principle is the same.
Because our bodies do not belong to us, we must be mindful of what we do to them for the sake of their Owner.
We certainly do not want to be found trashing God's property because we love and respect Him.
Our purpose is to finish our race well in Him. Why make our lives any harder than they have to be?
To me, that means:
- Eating foods that make energy. The body doesn't require just calories for energy; it requires thousands of micronutrients to transform the food we eat into energy and support our health. Pills cannot supply us with all we need. God bundled them primarily into the foods He put on this Earth for us to enjoy (see Genesis 1:29).
- Limiting the foods that drain energy. Most processed foods are made with store shelf-life and manufacturer profits in mind, not for benefits to our bodies. Most of these foods take our energy to process but don't give us anything of lasting value in return.
- Exercising for strength and endurance. It is difficult to exercise for long if you don't give your body the proper fuel it needs to power the activity. Once you have your nutrition right, then you will have the energy you need to fulfill other demands in your life. You'll have the energy needed to run this race well.
Today, think about the landlord/tenant example.
Ask yourself: "What can I do to be a better tenant in this body that the Lord owns?"
The Lord not only gives us guidance on what to do but the power to do it.
God is about restoration, not condemnation. He is always available to help us get back on the right track, one step at a time
A good place to start on your weight loss journey is to take out the trash and replace it with things that will "appreciate" the property!