Self-Care in the Body of Christ

From the title of this article, you might expect me to talk about the top five things I do to make myself feel better. A hot drink. Netflix. Face masks, and not the Covid kind. 

That's not what I'm going to talk about. 

All those things are geared towards making you feel good. That's great—I'm not one to preach a life of asceticism and denial, and I enjoy a nice relaxing afternoon just like everyone else. But self-care isn't the point today, because it revolves around your body and your feelings, and doesn't consider the bigger picture. 

If you're a Christian, you don't just have one body. You actually have two—your physical body, and the body of Christ. 

You might be a finger. You might be a bone. You might be a brain cell, or a neuron, but whatever you are, you're a part of Christ's body here on earth. 

And you have a few distinct responsibilities as a member of Christ's body. Primarily: take care of it, just like you would your own. 

 

"My head is killing me," you complain, rubbing your forehead after a long day at school. 

"Kill it back," I suggest. "It's only fair. After all, it's doing it to you—it'd just be getting what it deserves." 

How do you think you'd react if I actually said that? 

I bet you'd give me a very strange look, and wonder if I was doing all right. Because what I said makes absolutely no sense. 

If your head is hurting you, you don't hurt it back. Because it's you. Hurting it in retaliation would be the exact opposite of what you want to do. 

The proper response to pain, of course, is generally to try to make it stop. Drink some water. Take some Ibuprofen. Stop staring at a screen, for heavens' sake. Anything to make it better, so that you yourself can have a happier and more productive life. 

When a member of your body is hurting you, you try to help it hurt less. What about when a member of Christ's body hurts you in the same way? 

Our initial reaction is to snap back. To get revenge. To make them feel what you feel, and settle the score.

This makes absolutely no sense. 

If you're a Christian, you and I are members of the same body. I shouldn't want to hurt you for what you said to me. I should want to help you. I should want to love you, because your good is my good, and your pain is my pain. 

Self-care involves making all the members of your body work harmoniously together, so that you can be happy. Why don't we do the same with the church? 

 

Another aspect of self-care is more positive. Why do you think eating chocolate and drinking hot drinks is so comforting? 

Taste is an integral part of what humans are. I'm no chef, but I know I enjoy a nice plate of chicken and mashed potatoes, and let's not even mention how much I enjoy tea. 

It's even in the Bible. Proverbs 24:13 says, "Eat honey, my son, for it is good; honey from the comb is sweet to your taste." Jonathan eats honey in 1 Samuel 14, and "his eyes brightened." 

So, the answer is to bring cookies and pies to all the members of your church? Well, I doubt anybody would mind that, but that's not the greater lesson. 

Throughout the Bible, there's a constant parallel drawn between sweet and pleasant food and the words of the Lord. Psalm 34:8 says, "Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!" In Psalm 119:103, the poet cries, "How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!" 

There are countless more, but you get the picture. The Word of God is sweet like honey. And honey brightens our eyes. 

One way to love and care for your body as a Christian is to speak words of encouragement and truth to your fellow members in Christ. I know that when I'm really feeling discouraged, it's not chocolate that cheers me up. It's a believing friend, coming alongside me in my trouble, and building me up in the truth. 

This is one of the most valuable services you can provide. 

Find the truth, live it, and speak it. In doing so, you'll build up the body of believers, and be built up yourself. Because their pain is your pain, and their joy is your joy. 

 

Taking time for yourself isn't bad. But there's a more effective way to be encouraged. Taking time to care for your church body will help you and others, and in a much more long-lasting way. 

Being a Christian means being in community with other believers. This community is important. Get involved. Stay involved, if you already are. Even if it's just smiling at someone you notice is having a bad day, or staying to talk with someone you don't usually see, your faithful life will be a powerful testimony for Christ. 

And you'll be blessed too. With a blessing far more than any chocolate bar could ever give you.