Have you ever received a package from someone (or from Amazon, let’s be honest) that was destroyed when it showed up at your house? Maybe you didn’t even have to “open” it because it was mostly open from its shipping journey…tape not working and completely torn up…maybe the cardboard even had big holes in it or was soaking wet, ruining the structural support that was needed to carry the valuable items inside. Maybe the contents of your package were even missing because of how disheveled the container was. If the intended contents were inside, you probably had to make sure that nothing was ruined or damaged in any way. Whatever the case is…we all know this is NOT how important content is supposed to be delivered!
In the same way, as we walk in obedience and faithfulness to the calling of the Lord on our life, we don’t want the content of what we are trying to deliver to be hindered, damaged or missed simply because the vessel, our body, is not handled with care.
In His immense grace towards us, the Creator of the universe has given us life, breath, a body, a family and offers us rescue and reconciliation to Him through Christ. He also gives each of us a unique calling and purpose to bring glory to Him for all that He is worth. We can show gratitude and value to the Lord in our lives as we steward these good gifts with care and attention.
And we can specifically show God immense honor in our calling as we seek to steward our bodies and our health since our body is the vessel that carries His powerful message. 1 Corinthians 6:19–20 encourages us to honor God in this way, “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.”
Though the cardboard box that a package is sent in is not the ultimate point of a delivery, it is still vital for the container to be functional and in good condition to be used properly and effectively. As is our physical health. It isn’t ultimate, like 1 Timothy 4:8 reminds us, but it is an essential part of effectively sharing what God puts inside of us. Taking care of our body, the vessel, shouldn’t be obsessive since it is not the focus, but it also shouldn’t be dismissed or discarded as inconsequential to our mission. Our health can become a distraction or barrier to our mission whether it’s out of obsession or out of negligence.
Be encouraged that exercise and movement, proper nourishment as well as mental and physical rest all connect to the health of our soul and our capability to deliver what the Lord has called each of us to. Our motivation doesn’t have to be (and shouldn’t be, in my opinion) for aesthetic but rather for purpose. We can more faithfully fulfill our purpose when our bodies are cared for well thus functioning the good way God has designed them to. Just through exercise we can balance our blood sugar, balance our hormones, boost our immune system, settle our nervous system, increase our focus, increase our ability to handle stress and help the natural detox function that God has designed in us. Fueling our body with nourishing foods gives our bodies what they need to do all of our work without being depleted. And incorporating things like fascial care, sabbath, solitude and adequate sleep will give us the proper rest that our limited bodies need.
Just as we do our best to steward our gifts and calling, may we steward our health holistically in order for the vessel that carries His valuable message to honor the Sender.
So, ladies, are you giving diligent attention to the red label “handle with care” that the Lord has given all of us as we carry His hope to the world? Let’s steward the vessel that delivers His goodness and glory to others as an act of worship like Romans 12:1 says. He is worthy, His message is valuable, and so it’s vital to take care of the vessel that offers His good news.
Steward your calling by stewarding your health. It’s worth it and so are the people and purpose in your life. Let’s honor the mission, message and beautiful gift of life that the Lord has given each of us by handling our health with care.
My prayer for you is from 3 John 1:2, “Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, as it goes well with your soul.”
Written for Declare by Lauren Wilson, from Olive Tree Pilates and Wellness, a sponsor of the 2025 Declare Conference.
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