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Your Wealth is in your Health
To set the record straight, I am neither a doctor nor the son of a doctor, and since I may sound like a doctor, you must not be misled. What I have to share with you comes not from intensive medical training but from extensive practical thinking after experiencing some serious health issues. Because I am not qualified to write a medicine prescription for you, I will write a philosophy hoping you will take the message before it’s too late.
Health is a priceless wealth and you need to invest while you can. Health is the thing that makes you feel that now is the best time of the year. Izaak Walton, an English writer beautifully said “Look to your health; and if you have it, praise God, and value it next to a good conscience; for health is the second blessing that we mortals are capable of; a blessing that money cannot buy. While health is our greatest wealth and the greatest gift, it is also the least recognized of all the good and perfect gifts that God grants us. We either ignore it (like a bad habit) or take advantage of it (like a good wife). No doubt our finances are directly affected by how well we steward our bodies. Even our ability or energy to serve the Lord is impacted by this important aspect of our stewardship responsibility.
It was the 19th Century philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer who said “The greatest mistake a person can make is to sacrifice health for any other advantage. “Many of us are notoriously negligent when it comes to maintaining good health until one day when health refused to stay silent anymore and its frustration reached such a fevered pitch that it’s screams for our attention and finally gets it from us.
a). Rest: Good health depends upon proper rest. Compromising here is just plain carnal! It’s no better than gossip, stealing or murder. Rest is a given weapon given to us by God which the enemy hates because he wants us stressed and occupied. Let’s loosen up some time and take a break to re-calibrate our life. Rest can be as spiritual as hours in prayer-or may be more.
b). Food: Ayurvedic proverb said “when diet is wrong, medicine is of no use and when diet is - correct, medicine is of no need”. Your diet is a bank account and good food choices are good investments to nourish, strengthen and rebuild your body. You may be a great Christian, gifted, and in great demand-but if you cram only junk down the throat, your health will go down the tube. Good food (and the right amount) can be as spiritual as teaching the truth-sometimes more.
c). Exercise: No amount of witnessing or worship can substitute for regular physical exercise. Vigorous exercise stimulates the mind, blood, the muscles, the senses. It even affects our worries by flushing them out as we perspire in recreation and an active change of pace. Henry David Thoreau once said that an early-morning walk is a blessing for the whole day. Exercise can be can be as spiritual as attending church service – perhaps more.
1 Corinthians 6:19-20 - "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."
Let’s not think that loud prayers and lengthy Bible studies and lovely church services will cause God to smile at lousy health habits. Its important to give attention to our health while we are young and not wait till its scream for our attention. Reduce sugar, high cholesterol food, fast foods, and any unhealthy food. Start moving, take stairs, sit less and stand more. You may be able to get off your prescription drugs before long!
Health is a priceless wealth and you need to invest while you can. Health is the thing that makes you feel that now is the best time of the year. Izaak Walton, an English writer beautifully said “Look to your health; and if you have it, praise God, and value it next to a good conscience; for health is the second blessing that we mortals are capable of; a blessing that money cannot buy. While health is our greatest wealth and the greatest gift, it is also the least recognized of all the good and perfect gifts that God grants us. We either ignore it (like a bad habit) or take advantage of it (like a good wife). No doubt our finances are directly affected by how well we steward our bodies. Even our ability or energy to serve the Lord is impacted by this important aspect of our stewardship responsibility.
It was the 19th Century philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer who said “The greatest mistake a person can make is to sacrifice health for any other advantage. “Many of us are notoriously negligent when it comes to maintaining good health until one day when health refused to stay silent anymore and its frustration reached such a fevered pitch that it’s screams for our attention and finally gets it from us.
a). Rest: Good health depends upon proper rest. Compromising here is just plain carnal! It’s no better than gossip, stealing or murder. Rest is a given weapon given to us by God which the enemy hates because he wants us stressed and occupied. Let’s loosen up some time and take a break to re-calibrate our life. Rest can be as spiritual as hours in prayer-or may be more.
b). Food: Ayurvedic proverb said “when diet is wrong, medicine is of no use and when diet is - correct, medicine is of no need”. Your diet is a bank account and good food choices are good investments to nourish, strengthen and rebuild your body. You may be a great Christian, gifted, and in great demand-but if you cram only junk down the throat, your health will go down the tube. Good food (and the right amount) can be as spiritual as teaching the truth-sometimes more.
c). Exercise: No amount of witnessing or worship can substitute for regular physical exercise. Vigorous exercise stimulates the mind, blood, the muscles, the senses. It even affects our worries by flushing them out as we perspire in recreation and an active change of pace. Henry David Thoreau once said that an early-morning walk is a blessing for the whole day. Exercise can be can be as spiritual as attending church service – perhaps more.
1 Corinthians 6:19-20 - "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."
Let’s not think that loud prayers and lengthy Bible studies and lovely church services will cause God to smile at lousy health habits. Its important to give attention to our health while we are young and not wait till its scream for our attention. Reduce sugar, high cholesterol food, fast foods, and any unhealthy food. Start moving, take stairs, sit less and stand more. You may be able to get off your prescription drugs before long!
