Imagine you are taking a trip. This is not just any trip; it’s the family vacation of a lifetime. The car is packed. The route is planned. The reservations are made. Everything is in place. As your family members fasten their seat belts and break out the games, anticipation fills the air–but as you turn on the motor, something else begins to fill the air: smoke. It’s the thick, blue kind that looks like it’s not going to clear up. Next, you hear a loud, rattling noise from under the hood. Finally, there’s a horrible, grinding metal sound and the engine stops. Then…silence. Vacation is over.
Your body is a vehicle. It’s your primary means of transportation everywhere you go. If you neglect it, abuse it, or overuse it, the trip will have detours or worse. You can have the most well-thought-out plans for your life, but if you don’t have a plan for taking care of your body, you could end up on the side of the road. The whole reason you should pay attention to your physical health is to make sure you have the vehicle to carry out your God-given mission.
At this point, if you are anything like me, you’re saying, “Okay, I understand I need to take care of my body, but what do I need to do?”
Maybe you’re asking, how many calories do I need to eat every day? What should I eat? White or wheat bread? What about processed sugar and starches? How much sleep should I get each night? How often should I exercise?
I don’t have the answers to any of those questions, but I can share one simple principle to live by. If you will memorize and practice this principle, it will help you make wise decisions concerning taking care of your body. When you are faced with a decision concerning your physical health simply say: “NO to the harmful, YES to the beneficial.”
What should you eat? Say no to the harmful, yes to the beneficial.
How much should you eat? Say no to the harmful, yes to the beneficial.
How much sleep should you get? Say no to the harmful, yes to the beneficial.
Should you drink that? Say no to the harmful, yes to the beneficial.
This life principle is so important because your body’s main function is to serve as the vehicle for you to accomplish God’s purpose for your life.
