Our society loves slogans that sound noble but unravel under scrutiny. Few have done more cultural damage than the phrase, “My body, my choice.” It’s used as a banner of freedom, but at its core, it’s a declaration of self-sovereignty. A denial of accountability. A refusal to consider how personal actions affect others. It welcomes people to ruin their health.
Picture a child saying that to his parents. A student to his coach. A soldier to his commander. It’s laughable—until it becomes national policy and moral consensus. That’s where we are. And while this phrase is often tied to political issues, this post isn’t about those. I’m writing here about something far more personal, but just as serious: your health.
We’ve trained ourselves to believe that health is a private matter. That what I eat, how I rest, whether I move my body or destroy it—that’s no one’s business but mine. But that’s simply not true. It never has been. Especially not for the Christian.
Your Body Is Not Yours
The starting point is theological. As Christians, we believe God created us. He designed the human body with purpose. We are not the result of accident, evolution, or random chance. We are designed and formed by a Creator who has both authority and affection.
Paul says in 1 Corinthians 6:19–20:
“You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.”
That’s a radical claim in an age obsessed with self-ownership. You are not your own.
You don’t belong to you.
Yes, God gives us freedom to choose what we do with our bodies. But that doesn’t mean He releases us from responsibility. Ownership belongs to Him. Stewardship belongs to us.
From Rebellion to Responsibility
That makes the popular mantra “my body, my choice” not just misguided—it makes it rebellion. It is a rejection of the One who formed us. It’s a refusal to acknowledge that we are accountable to something greater than our desires.
But rebellion doesn’t stop with God. It trickles down into society. When we disconnect our bodies from divine authority, we also disconnect them from any sense of social duty. That’s the real issue: when you treat your health as if it’s no one else’s concern, you forget that your life—your energy, your presence, your strength—is not just for you. It’s for others.
What you do with your body has public consequences.
Health as a Public Good
Consider this:
- When a worker fails to care for his body, coworkers must pick up the slack. When a husband gets sick from years of preventable neglect, the wife becomes the nurse. The children become the caretakers. Society bears the weight.
- When a mother chooses laziness and gluttony, it doesn’t just affect her waistline. It affects her family. It shortens her patience. It reduces her stamina. It steals her ability to play with her children or help around the home.
- When a pastor ignores rest and sleep, eats poorly, and refuses exercise, he may extend his ministry publicly—but he shortens it privately. The toll will come. His fatigue will affect his preaching. His health will limit his presence.
What we call “personal health” is never just personal. It is public stewardship.
Self-Control Is a Fruit, Not a Fitness Trend
For the Christian, caring for the body is not about looking good or living forever. That’s what the world chases. It’s about readiness.
Paul said, “I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified” (1 Corinthians 9:27). He wasn’t doing CrossFit. He wasn’t on a diet for aesthetic reasons. He disciplined himself for the sake of the gospel. He wanted to be useful to the end.
This is where many Christians fall into error. We see health as an optional side project. Something for those who are “into that.” But discipline—self-control—is not optional. It is a fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:23). And it applies to your mouth, your schedule, your movement, your sleep, your recovery.
Caring for your body is not a fitness fad. It’s a spiritual practice. It isn’t about image crafting, but soul training.
Strength for Service, Not for Show
This is where vanity must die. You don’t steward your body so you can post selfies. You do it so you can show up—for your spouse, your children, your church, your calling.
The healthier you are:
The more available you are.
The longer you can preach, teach, counsel, give, build, travel, or lead.
The more you can be there when someone calls at midnight.
The more you can carry groceries for your aging neighbor or lift your grandchild high into the air.
The more you can endure suffering, not just for your sake, but for theirs.
When your body breaks down because of time and trials, that is expected. But when it breaks down from neglect, indulgence, or irresponsibility, that’s a burden you’re passing to others.
That’s not freedom. That’s theft.
Practical Repentance
So what should we do?
Start small. This isn’t about becoming a bodybuilder or biohacker. It’s about repenting of laziness and honoring God with your body.
- Take a 20-minute walk—every day.
- Go to bed on time.
- Eat more vegetables and protein.
- Cut back on sugar and fake food.
- Lift something heavy—regularly.
- Stretch. Breathe deeply. Go outside.
- Practice rest.
- Fast occasionally.
- Play with kids.
Conclusion: A Call to Serious Christians
This may be a new way of thinking for some. But I believe this is essential, especially for men and women who want to be taken seriously as followers of Christ.
The call to follow Jesus is a call to self-denial. That doesn’t mean destroying your body. It means submitting it to God for His purposes.
Your health is not your trophy. It is not your god. But it is your responsibility.
And it is a gift—to your family, to your church, and to the mission of God in this world.
Let’s stop living as if our bodies are ours alone.
Let’s get stronger for the people counting on us.
Because in the end, the healthier you are, the more of yourself you can give.
And that’s what this life is for.