The last few days I have felt like I am dying, and that is because I have had a nasty toothache. It is now approaching my sinuses and I am reconsidering whether it may be a sinus infection; but either way this has got me thinking hard about my choices.

“I have the right to do anything,” you say-but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”- but not everything is constructive. – 1 Corinthians 10:23 NIV

The entire left side of my face reminds my sweet husband of a “cute little chipmunk,” and reminds me of procedures in which the face becomes numb. I can smile….on one side of my face, while the rest of it remains grumpy and sullen looking. This has been confusing for our household the last few days.

Poppa Gnome does not like to see me in pain, and is constantly checking on me (oh so sweet) and I have responded with, “It’s okay, it’s my own fault.” He said to me, how is a toothache your fault? And to that I say, knowing the condition that my teeth and body are in and making the decision to eat sugary treats and unhealthy foods just because they taste scrumptious brings consequences with it that are nobody’s fault but my own.

“I have the right to do anything,” you say-but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”- but I will not be mastered by anything.- 1 Corinthians 6:12 NIV

For several years I have been processing through self-image and what I put into my body affecting it either positively or negatively. Until the last few years, I really never understood or was even willing to comprehend that everything I put into my body affects my spiritual wellness as well. Just because I can, doesn’t mean I should.

It is said that one cannot have their cake and eat it too….

What does that even mean?!

In this, it means that I cannot eat scrumptious, sugary foods while simultaneously expecting my body to remain healthy. I have allowed tasty food desires to master me for quite some time, and being in this position of being unwell and feeling like death makes me think even more deeply about how poor choices are like rot and decay in our lives; whether externally affecting our life choices and environment OR internally affecting our mental/emotional/physical health within our own bodies. 

To wrap this around, a temple is a building devoted to worship, or regarded as the dwelling place of God; or gods or other objects of religious reverence. To refer to our body as a temple is to utilize it as a metaphor that explains that our body is to be respected, treated with reverence, dignity; and be well maintained; as a sacred temple would be.

Did you know that biblically, our bodies are to be well taken care of because once you become a believer, the state of your body is tied to your spiritual wellness?! It is that way because the Holy Spirit resides within you once you are baptized. And that means we ought to consider our spiritual housekeeping skills.

Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.  -1 Corinthians 6:19 NIV

I know I need to work on my housekeeping, and really glad Jesus loves us even with a messy house.