Loving God’s Temple

Bible Reading: 1 Corinthians 6:19-20

You must honor God with your body. 1 Corinthians 6:20

Derek’s mom stares slack-jawed, startled by the word that just erupted from her five-year-old’s mouth. “Honey, do you know what that word means?” Derek shyly shakes his head no.

“Well, it’s the name for a boy’s body part,” Mom says, “but it’s not a very nice name. You know the name the doctor uses, right? Let’s stick to that.”

God had a wonderful idea when he made people. He didn’t make our soul to float in thin air. He tucked it into a body. He made some parts private. And the body he gave us deserves total respect.

Ephesians 5:29 says that “No one hates his own body but lovingly cares for it.” Problem is, some people have a messed-up love for their body. They might go without food or get into piercing and cutting. Others abuse drugs, overeat, never get off the couch, or indulge themselves in pleasure in a million other ways.

God has a better plan for your body.

The apostle Paul had a big question for the people in Corinth. “Don’t you know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God?” (1 Corinthians 6:19). If your body is God’s temple, he said, then you should use it for God’s glory. And that’s where total respect comes in. Here are three respect-filled facts to remember:

Your body has to last a long time. As a kid you have the chance to take care of your body now before it turns to flab—or before your teeth fall out. And to enjoy your hair while you have it!

Your body belongs to you. No one has the right to hurt your body. No one has a reason to touch the parts covered up by your swimsuit—unless it’s a doctor making sure you’re healthy or a parent helping you get clean.

Your body belongs to your future husband or wife. You’ve no doubt noticed there’s a difference between boys and girls. God built you that way, and he designed you to enjoy being close to your spouse. One incredibly important way you can love your body is to play by God’s rules when it comes to guy-girl relationships.

God made your body to give you all kinds of good feelings. But he made you to enjoy them in a way that doesn’t hurt you or others. That’s loving your body like God intended. And that’s how you bring glory to him!

TALK: Do you know people who abuse their body—by neglecting it or overindulging it? What happens to them in the long run?

PRAY: God, thanks for giving us our body. It is a wonderful gift from you.

ACT: How do you want to love your body today?