Physical training is of some value, but godliness ...

The tomato plant provides a great analogy for today's meditation. When the tomato plant is young - that is before it has born any fruit, it is one of the most vibrant looking of plants, it is pristine and buzzing with life. It is full of health and attractive. Then it flowers - and again looks good, vibrant and brimming with vitality. The life and vitality, the bushelling growth are all exciting - but it is all about the fruit, the fruit is the really exciting part, it is what the plant is all about. If that plant should bear no fruit for all it's vitality - it is useless, a complete waste. 

However  - all of its strength and energy goes into producing the fruit. As a result, the rest of the plant quickly begins to whither and die. Leaves wilt and hang lifeless, the colour fades and the whole plant becomes a ragged mess, it doesn't look pretty - but it has an abundance of good fruit!  The vitality and life, vibrance and vigour are all gone, gone into bearing much fruit, and that is what pleases the one who will harvest the crop. 

People are like tomatoe plants. Those without Jesus will never produce the smallest bit of fruit, they know nothing of it at all. The best the people of the world can do is put all their energy into trying to stay vital, trying to keep looking young and fit. It is because they know nothing of fruitfulness that aging terrifies them and they do all they can to fight it because it’s all they have. But no matter how hard they try, the onslaught of age is unstoppable, eventually they die -fruitless. This is a sad, sad tragedy. The truth is, like a fruitless tomato plant, their lives have been utterly futile.

But we are Christians. We know that every plant that does not bear fruit is fit for the fire (Matthew 3:10) We know that God has given us health, vitality and vigour - not to be preserved but used to bear fruit. 

But many of us find it easy to slip into worldliness and act as if the vigour, vitality and 'looking impressive' is all we have. Like the world, some Christians put as much energy, money and time on looking and feeling good as people of the world! 

Let’s make the decision to not be like the world. Let’s not spend silly amounts of money on our appearance - trying to look good - it just sin’t that important. Let’s not waste too much time trying to keep ‘age-at-bay’. Let's maintain good health in such a way that speaks to the world that health is not our god - Jesus is. The humble tomato plant - like God's word teaches us, there is a cost to producing fruit - there is a price to pay and a death to die - the vitality of the tomato plant gives way for the sake of the fruit. This is the way of the Spirit.

What is more important to you? Where does the best of your energy, money, time and resources go? How much goes into bearing spiritual fruit? Do you even know what it is?

None of the above is to say we should not look after ourselves. We should, but not for selfish, worldly reasons. Paul says “Physical training is of some value...” (1 Timothy 4:8). This means exercise, diet, hygiene and maintaining good health is good and of real value, but the verse then goes on to say “... but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come”. In fact, the value of ‘physical training’ and maintaining health - is for the sake of the gospel. If I am healthy, I can serve God! To the degree it serves God is the degree to which it is good.

Jim Elliot was a single minded missionary who paid the ultimate price for Jesus but bore great fruit. When at College he was on the wrestling team and was very talented at it. But consider this extract from the biography of his brief life.

"Was Jim enjoying the wrestling? It must have been fun to frustrate the national champion. But this was secondary to Jim. He was not wrestling because he liked wrestling, but because wrestling was a means to keeping his body fit and healthy and strong enough for missionary work ... He wrestled because of the discipline and physical fitness it required-characteristics that had direct relevance to his life goals. Any pleasure the activity may have brought him or anyone else was strictly an extra benefit."

Jim Elliot: Missionary Martyrs (Heroes of Faith) Miller, Susan Martins (pages 25,26)

Jim got it right! Many of us seem to have Paul the opposite way round. We act as though  'godliness is of some value, but physical training has value for all things, holding promise...". That is wrong!

Spend some time now to consider, have you stewarded your physical body well for the sake of the Kingdom? Do you need to begin to do so? Do you idolise your body or appearance over godliness?Does more of your energy go into your own body than godliness? Are you maintaining your body for selfish reasons or for the sake of the Kingdom. Pray and ask The Lord to give you wisdom and grace to make whatever adjustments are necessary that your energy may go into being fruitful for HiM.