Be Good to Your Bodyનમૂનો

FRUITFULNESS

Genesis 1:28 (ESV) reminds us that we are to be fruitful in all areas of life: “God blessed them. And God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.’ ”

We have been tasked with being good stewards—to care for and nurture the world around us. When we consider the fact that our bodies not only are part of creation but also depend on creation to survive, we see that being good to our bodies is obediently following this command. It is cultivating a healthy environment, one that supports both our individual and our collective well-being.

Cultivating a fruitful environment in which to live—one that is peaceful, pure, and healthy—allows us to feel our best and be fruitful in the work we do, conversations we have, and ways that we spend our time, talents, and resources. This is a high and holy calling.

Fruitfulness, biblically speaking, means contributing to the flourishing of humankind, and that begins with the flourishing of our own bodies and our own families. It’s bringing heaven to earth—using our gifts, skills, and talents to make the space around us a little more Eden-like.

Perhaps for you, being fruitful in this season of your life looks like creating something beautiful, cooking healthy food for your family, starting a neighborhood garden, decluttering areas in your home, volunteering at a local shelter, or leading a Bible study.

But here’s the question we must consider: How can we be fruitful if we’re burned out, overworked, dealing with imbalance, or feeling terrible? Or if we’re undernourished, sleeping poorly, low on energy, or running on stress hormones? It’s much more difficult.

While it may be normal to skip breakfast, stay up late scrolling, order carryout for most meals, or use products with harmful chemicals, that does not make these common practices good for our bodies, as those actions do not support our fruitfulness. This calling to be fruitful and multiply the kingdom of God reminds us that being good to our bodies—caring for ourselves and supporting our health naturally with our daily choices and disciplines—requires cultivating a healthy environment for them to live in in the first place.

God, teach me to cultivate a life giving environment that fosters fruitfulness and to create space in my life that allows Your goodness to take root and grow. Show me how being good to my body is a part of the fruitfulness You call me to. Amen.