I’m in the
YMCA, about to climb on the elliptical machine for a little self-induced
Do you know
why this is a special joy to me? Because
I had the privilege of critiquing the early drafts of Every Body Matters last
year and offering my suggestions – the main one being “add more personal
stories!” He did! And one of them is about someone I know, Dr.
Scott VanLue, a wellness physician and friend of our family. And yes, my name is on the acknowledgement
page in the back of the book. So you
should buy it. Just to see my name of
course. No really, it’s an awesome
book even without my name in it! (I
can’t help giggling typing this. Am I a
classic narcissist or what?)
Anyway, I’m
a long-time Gary Thomas fan, having read probably 10 of his books and reviewing
a few of them. At first this one seemed
out of his genre. I mean, a book about
fitness from someone who usually writes about classic spirituality for
evangelicals? Actually, the funny thing
is, he incorporates classic spirituality into his book about physical fitness
with quotes by Fenelon, Climacus, and other centuries old dudes. Simply
medieval, I tell you! This philosophical
edge is especially apparent in chapters like “Our Ongoing Battle Against Sin.”
Gary is actually quite qualified to write about fitness too. After all, he’s run more marathons than I can
count, including the prestigious Boston marathon. He takes the body seriously.
So what’s
the book all about? It’s about how our bodies affect our souls and vice
versa. After all, the more physically
fit we are, the more energy we have to devote to God’s kingdom. And if we neglect taking care of our bodies
through overeating or laziness, this reflects on our spiritual character as
well. It is a virtue to practice
self-discipline. It’s good for body and
soul. (Sorta reminds me of the YMCA’s
trifecta: Spirit, Mind, and Body. I do love the YMCA!)
As Gary says
to Christians, “For most of our lives, we have emphasized growing our souls,
not always realizing that a lack of physical discipline can undercut and even
erode spiritual growth.” We don’t want
to be heads without bodies, but whole people.
Indeed,
aerobics expert Dr. Kenneth Cooper writes, “A healthy, fit body is the most
appropriate home for a vibrant spirit.”
And the
Apostle Paul prays, “May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at
the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Thessalonians 5:23b) and counsels his
readers to purify themselves from anything that might contaminate body and
spirit (2 Corinthians 7:1) and to honor God with their bodies (1 Corinthians
6:20). Are these passages just about not
doing anything immoral? No, the positive connotation is that we take careful
stewardship of the marvelous gift that God has given – the masterpiece creation
that we call the human body. To trash
our bodies is a sin.
Gary speaks
of having “silver souls” that have been refined through difficulty. “Desiring a silver soul means we stop
treating our bodies as ornaments – with all the misguided motivations often
displayed by those who build their bodies out of pride and ambition – and start
treating our bodies as instruments, vessels set apart to serve the God who
fashioned them.”
Again,
“Protecting your health is the same thing as protecting the vehicle through
which God wants to change the world. Is
there a greater loss in this world than millions of Spirit-renewed believers
digging premature graves with knife, fork and spoon?” He also poses the question: “Is food shaping
me into a man who lives solely for his own gratification, rather than
nourishing me to look after the needs of others?” For many people, food becomes a kind of
self-medicating substitute for God when they are experiencing negative
emotions. Eating makes us feel good, but
it’s no substitute for the soul food that God wants to give us. Besides that, just chemically speaking, you
can get the same emotional boost from the hormones released during exercise
than you can get from eating – and it’s a whole lot healthier!
So, what to
do? I’ll have to write about that a
little later. It’s time for me to get on
that elliptical machine before my kids get out of their home school P.E. class!
Ok, I’m back
again two weeks later, in the YMCA lobby again, this time after my workout. Picking up
the book up again, I’m delighted to read a quote from second-century bishop
Irenaeus, “The glory of God is man fully alive.” I love to hear Sara Groves sing that in her
song “Just Woke Up to My Own Life.” It’s
more relevant than a stiff dose of caffeine in the morning. Alive, energetic, alert, vigorous, robust,
vibrant. That’s what we all want to be –
not sluggish or foggy-brained. Isn’t that
the goal is exercise and nutrition – to take such good care of our bodies that
they will serve us as we serve God and others?
Glory! Gary writes about the
“Muscular Christianity” movement of the 19th century: “The thinking
was that to live an influential, fruit-filled Christian life required a
toughness, a hardy spirit, a confronting and facing of challenges, a learning
to deal with failure without giving in to it, and a rising up to keep moving
forward – each of these is a lesson that can be learned through sports… Soft
people who frequently complain about the smallest annoyances, who give in to
laziness and excess, who expect others to work so that they can rest, who
collapse into passive entertainment instead of active exercise – these are
souls custom-made to become all but irrelevant in kingdom warfare. They are not threat to anyone -- least of all
to Satan.”
So what can
we do? Glad you asked! In his chapter
Purely Practical, Gary recounts Dr. Cooper’s advice: to “engage in regular,
moderate endurance exercise”, “pursue a strength and flexibility training
program throughout your life” and “emphasize low-fat, high-fiber foods in your
diet.” Gary adds in eating less and
making sure you get your sleep. All of
this is especially important in the middle-age and older years as our
metabolism changes and women go through menopause. In a previous chapter, he recommends
that churches consider offering healthy exercise programs (team sports, group
bike rides, a Pilates class, etc.) as a means of outreach and fellowship – and
not just an endless round of potluck dinners.
If this isn’t something your church can do, consider signing up for
community-based exercise programs, such as those offered by the YMCA. The social aspect of meeting up with friends
(even brand new ones) fuels a sense of well-being and motivates us to keep
going. Agreeing to meet a friend a few
mornings a week for 30-60 minutes of brisk walk-and-talk really helped me last
year. I need to start that up
again! If we want to break the habit of
sluggish, sloppy living, a whole new routine is necessary – eating, sleeping,
exercising. It is so convicting to type
these words.
It can be
really hard to make big transitions in health, but it is worth it in the long
run. My father was diagnosed with diabetes about 30 years ago, when he was in
his mid-forties. I am so impressed with
how seriously he took life-change.
Accustomed to sitting down in his computer specialist job all the time,
he turned into a running machine and was rewarded with a lean and healthy body. Now in his mid-seventies, he still runs daily. Three years ago, while jogging, he was hit by
a motorcycle and suffered a traumatic brain injury. Doctors attribute his quick recovery (back in
the office in six weeks) in part to his incredible physical fitness.
So what
happens when “nothing happens” – when you don’t lose the weight you thought you
would? Don’t give up! Fitness matters more than body shape. Exercise is still good for your body and your
soul. And if you can’t plunge into a
full-fledged fitness program, at least do something. Get started.
Move in the right direction and keep going! Make it something you enjoy, such riding a
bike or working out at the gym. Listen
to some music on your iPod or watch a movie while you’re on the treadmill.
It’s been
fun writing this review at the YMCA over a period of weeks, but now it’s time
to exercise my fingers and press the post button on my blog. But before I do, one last verse from Every Body Matters.
“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I
have kept the faith. Now there is in
store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge,
will award to me on that day – and not only to me, but also to all who have
longed for his appearing” (2 Timothy 4:7-8).
The book is now available on-line and in bookstores! Go get yourself a copy because Every Body Matters – including yours!
Some of Gary's other books include...
Blessings,
Virginia Knowles
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