Principle #5 – We are physical beings that house the Spirit and as such we should care for it as the Temple of God.
“Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?” 1 Corinthians 3:16 NRSV
As spiritual beings we have life, but where does that life reside? Our physical bodies: flesh and bone, organs and systems come together in one place. For the most efficient functioning of this body, it must be in a state of well-being.
The body of a human being is a miraculous work. This body of ours is designed in such a way that through proper care and development it theoretically could last forever and could give years of productive service.
The problem is we do not maintain it the way we need to. There are all sorts of outside factors that can wreak havoc on its resilience. But when we take the proper steps, this organism is quite remarkable in what it can endure.
Therefore, as physical beings it is of the utmost importance that we care for ourselves in a thorough and thought-out manner. Paying attention to details of recovery and development can go a long way in getting the greatest benefit out of this structure.
Human beings are notorious about using their tools and not caring for them appropriately. This not only diminishes the potential we are created with but also shortens the shelf life of effective use.
A complete program of care would include 7 areas of care as follows…
1) Rest
Rest is necessary because the body needs quality time to recover and repair from the stress placed on it. The optimal amount necessary depends on the individual, however, a good rule of thumb would be between 7-9 hours nightly.
2) Nutrition – what we put into our bodies affects many areas and so we should choose with caution.
3) Aerobic – our cardio-pulmonary systems provide the oxygen and other elements crucial to our function. Therefore, a structured program strengthening those systems is imperative.
4) Strength – our muscular/skeletal systems need to be challenged on a consistent basis to provide the functioning necessary to live a full and productive life.
5) Flexibility – Our joints and connective tissues deteriorate over time and therefore need to be stretched and flexed frequently to maintain their elasticity.
6) Balance – A host of systems work together to provide us with stability and spatial awareness needed to get through life. If we fail to practice our balance regularly, we soon become limited in what we may attempt.
7) Cleansing – With all that our bodies go through we build up a tremendous amount of toxins and other waste products. Therefore, extreme care must be taken to assure we are properly cleansing our systems of these poisons.
By following a comprehensive program of self-care, we can be assured that we will be able to perform the way we were designed for many years.