"Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful."
1 Corinthians 4:2
One of the keys to this verse is the word "required". There is no doubt that all that we have has been given to us as a trust by God. Therefore, we know who the owner of every thing is. We are stewards of what belongs to God. He requires of us that we take care of what we have been given and use it in a way that would bring Him honor and glory. The requirement to be faithful comes in when we recognize that this stewardship responsibility is a daily task. Let's look at one of these areas.
We are responsible to take care of our bodies and our health. Many times we only think of our health when something is wrong, then we expect the doctor to fix the damage that we have already done. As Americans we eat too much and exercise too little. I know that this is probably not a good thing to talk about the week of Thanksgiving, but it is still true. I love good food like anyone else, and I am thankful for all that we have. However, we must learn moderation in every area of our lives. It is essential that we recognize that habits such as excessive eating, unhealthy eating, smoking, drinking, and others are damaging the temple of God. Paul emphasized to the church of Corinth that this body is not ours but the Lord's. This is the point of stewardship. If it belongs to the Lord, why would we do that which would be damaging and detrimental to it?
Also, we must exercise to keep this body that God has given to us healthy. The Bible speaks many times of walking, running, and other physical activities. In many cultures physical activity is a way of life. In our culture we are known more for sitting at desks all day then going home to spend the evening in the recliner. No wonder we are leading the world in diabetes, heart disease, and obesity. A pastor that I deeply respect is an avid runner. He runs several miles a day and has done that for years. I assumed that he was just an active person and that is the reason that he ran so much. However, one day he gave his personal testimony and told why he exercises so much. He suffers from severe diabetes; he gives himself several shots of insulin a day. The doctor told him that if he did not eat right and exercise regularly that he would die. He took the doctors words seriously and started doing what was necessary to be healthy.
His testimony went beyond the physical however. He testified that the reason that he did what he did was because God gave him responsibilities that he could not abandon. God had entrusted him with a wife and children. God had entrusted him to be the pastor of a ministry. He ran every day with the thought that he wanted to prolong his life to take care of his family and serve the Lord in the ministry to which he was called. His desire to exercise was as much spiritual as it was physical. He had decided to be a good steward of all that was given to him.
May you surrender your body to the Lord today!
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