“In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” (Acts 20:35 ESV)
This month we have been talking about being a good steward as it applies to our health. We talked about being a poor steward of our health, and health debt; we talked about how to set a health budget – beyond just the need for financial; and last week we talked about how to build health reserves and storing up health “in case” something happens. Each of these was intended to take the same principle we should apply to how we manage our finances – not over-spending, especially on the wrong things; utilizing self-discipline by having ourselves on a budget; and looking ahead by saving for emergencies, and even for fun things – and apply these same principles to our health and to be healthy for the long-term.
Today we will wrap up our good steward health analogy by taking a brief look at what the Bible says about giving out of our health abundance. Acts 20:35 says that “…by working hard we must help the weak…” – this is giving. and when we do, we will be blessed in the process “…it is more blessed to give than to receive.” Keeping in mind that all that we have, including our health, comes directly from God. This is one of the many reasons we are to be a good steward by taking care of our bodies that He not only created for us, but He also took our sickness and disease to the cross as well.
This Should be Your “Why”
I hear way too often Christ followers making statements like this “I wish I could help do (fill in the blank), but (here comes the excuse) my (name the infirmity, the chronic disease) is too bad that I can’t help (i.e. give). This is one of the many reasons why we need to take care of our health – especially as Christians, so that we are mentally, emotionally, physically and spiritually able to give back. My pastor has shared his same experience when it comes to finances. Too many Christians make the statement that they “wish they could give, or give more but…” They can’t give more, or help more because they put themselves into debt – financial or health, and by not having a budget and saving — for their finances or their health, depriving themselves of the opportunity to give and in turn be blessed in abundance. One of the many reasons our “why” for taking care of our health should be so that we are healthy and able bodied enough to serve and give of ourselves. Jesus Christ gave of His entire life for us, shouldn’t we do at least one small part by giving back to Him and serving Him? But we can’t do this if we are not healthy enough to do so.
Where Does Our Health Come From?
Health comes from above (God), down (to us); inside (the integrity of the internal environment of our bodies), out – to others and the world. God did not create us just for our own selfish enjoyment, but to fulfill our purpose here on this earth that He created us to fulfill for Him and His Kingdom. But… we need strength, stamina, energy and clarity of mind in order to fulfill that purpose to its optimum. Our purpose will always be centered around giving and serving.
You might be working in a manufacturing plant where you don’t see the light of day five or six days a week. It might be so noisy where you work that to carry on a conversation with another human being is nearly impossible. And therefore, you might feel like you are serving no purpose. But I promise you, if you are doing what God has called you to do in this moment in time, you are serving and fulfilling a purpose. Maybe you are responsible for making just one little part of a larger piece of farm equipment. That equipment is needed by the farmer, who grows and harvests the food, that ultimately nourishes the body of someone else who needs that nourishment to fulfill their purpose. I promise you, you matter.
But… when you aren’t being a good steward of your body and your health, and you are calling in sick, or unable to fulfill your assignment for any other reason, the rest of the body of Christ suffers as a result.
Maybe you are a stay-at-home mom, feeling like there are days you will pull your hair out, and about as far away from fulfilling any kind of purpose for God. You could not be more wrong. Your primary purpose in this season is to “train up a child in the way they should go…” Never, ever, ever underestimate the extreme value in this purpose.
Perhaps you are retired. That doesn’t mean you are done fulfilling your purpose. It just simply means your season and purpose have shifted and changed to something else. In fact, we are never done filling a purpose here on this earth until Papa God calls for us to be home with Him. You can fulfill your new purpose by volunteering or teaching the skills and lessons you have learned over the years to the next generation. I know many people who are in a season of life of taking care of their ailing parents, or even a spouse. Don’t belittle the extreme value of this purpose. In fact, it is service at its ultimate value.
However, each of these roles in life requires you to be a good steward of your health in order to fulfill these functions to their optimum, glorifying God in the process.
In Summary
Being a good steward of your health requires you to not abuse your health and your body – whether it be through a poor diet, lack of sleep, water and/or exercise, or simply living an unhealthy lifestyle – drinking, drugs, smoking – even emotionally unhealthy behaviors, as in dysfunctional relationships, not addressing the abuse, hurts or sin in your life, or any number of emotional ways that throw your life out of balance. Each of these are an example of being a poor steward of your health – putting your health in “health debt.”
Maintaining discipline with your health is a way of having a health budget. Being disciplined with what you eat, how you behave, how you simply balance your life. Discipline and self-control are key to setting a health budget.
Storing up your health reserves – routinely doing the right things for your health will ultimately reap great rewards, especially when or if the time comes to address a health crisis. Having health reserves will go a long way for a much quicker recovery.
And giving out of our abundant health goes much further in our ability to be a blessing to others. It’s nearly impossible to be a blessing to others when we are laid up with self-induced chronic diseases plaguing us.
In summary, being a good steward of your health will afford you the greatest strength, stamina, energy and clarity of mind possible, and in turn will reap many rewards and blessings from our Heavenly Father – setting us up to one day hear those sweet, rewarding words “well done good and faithful servant.” Oh how I long to hear this come out of our Father’s mouth towards me, how about you?
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