We should take care of our physical health by eating nutritious foods, getting vigorous exercise, avoiding junk food, and getting quality sleep. This honors God, who created our bodies. While God will care for us supernaturally at times, he expects us to do what we can to care for our physical and spiritual health through healthy choices. Our faithfulness in these areas impacts our overall well-being and ability to be productive.

1. T emple
getting
avoiding vigorous and getting
junk food, exercise, the quality
sleep that we
eating need.
Care
nutritious Oh, Sa-am…
Where ARE you? …
food, … but
there’s a
We should do the best time and
we can to live healthy a place,
m! Josh.
lives and not abuse our Um
bodies by doing the
following:
I
n 1 Corinthians 3:16, the
apostle Paul tells us, “Do you
not know that you are God’s Sam laying low
temple and that God’s Spirit
dwells in you?” (ESV) It’s also important that we don’t put ourselves unnecessarily in
danger of sickness and disease through not taking the proper
When John the Revelator precautions like...
(Beloved) saw into heaven,
he saw twenty-four saints
And we can also
worshipping God, saying, “You washing our hands or wearing clean
protect ourselves from
are worthy, our Lord and God, regularly, clothes.
injury by not taking
to receive glory and honor and needless risks.
Eddie washes his
power, for you created all things, hands before doing
and by your will they were the dishes.
Dirty
Fresh, This qualifies as
sparkly a needless risk.
created and have their being” clothes clothes
(Revelation 4:11 NIV). One way
we can honor God for all that
He has made is through taking
care of His creation—and that
includes taking care of ourselves!

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At the end of an inspiring I am most sorry One month later.
jungle “road” trip. to report that
the rope and
bamboo bridge over
Now, of course there are times when not Mwahaha Falls—
everything in our physical situation is the only route out Despite our limited diet
of our village— born of necessity, we feel
ideal. Jesus has promised to care for His has been washed healthy and invigorated!
own; He has given His angels charge over away. You will be
our guests for the
us to keep us in all our ways (see Psalm month it will take
91:11). If we have done all that we can, to rebuild it. And
as you have
then we can know that Jesus will do all observed, we live
that He can to care for and protect us. on coconut
and
cassava-root
patties...

3. But what we can do,
Jesus expects us to
do. For example, if Did you Uh, Mum...I’m like, 14! Teeth
brush brushing is not cool!
you don’t faithfully your
care for your teeth teeth, If you do your best to care for yourself physically,
and gums, you Chris?
Jesus will do those things that only He can and
can’t expect Jesus that are His will. But Jesus is not going to come and
to miraculously brush your teeth for you, or put you to bed when
preserve you from you’re up past your bedtime, or override the effects
dental problems of junk food when you could have been choosing
down the line. If to eat more healthfully.
you eat sugary or
oily junk food, don’t
think that you’ll avoid
sickness and disease.
t.
t the dentis This is
Later, a Good boy! embarrassing.
Clut
ch!
wizt!
zzttzzw
From his new vantage point of staring up
Note to youthful reader: Jesus
at the dentist’s nostrils, Chris realizes
loves you very much, and expects
that teeth-brushing is, in fact, a lot
you to do what you can do.
cooler than he’d previously thought.

4. way the
Gabe rolls a
oved
stone of impr
cise, and
health, exer
abits.
nutrition h
Jesus expects us to live healthily through
If we do what we can do, getting good exercise, eating foods that will
then we can trust Jesus for nourish and energize our bodies, rather than
the rest. (Read the story of those things that tear our health down.
Jesus raising Lazarus from
the dead in John 11:1–44.)
Faithfulness & obedience in Unfaithfulness &
caring for your body. disobedience in caring
Our faithfulness and obedience to take care Feeling groovy! for your body.
of our body is very important. It plays a big
role in our overall health, and thus in our or
fruitfulness and productivity and happiness,
and that makes it extremely important.
ing
Feel !
oovy
ungr
S&S link: Character Building: Personal Responsibility:
Health and Personal Care-2b
Contributed by R. A. Watterson, based on the writings of Maria Fontaine.
Illustrations by David Komic. Design by Christia Copeland.
Published by My Wonder Studio.
Copyright © 2012 by The Family International
It’s up to you!