When you sow, you do not plant the body that will be, but just a seed, perhaps of wheat or of something else. But God gives it a body as he has determined, and to each kind of seed he gives its own body. There are also heavenly bodies and earthly bodies; but the splendor of the heavenly bodies is one kind, and the splendor of the earthly bodies is another. The sun has one kind of splendor, the moon another and the stars another; and star differs from star in splendor (1 Cor. 15: 39-41).

Most of us spend a lot of time and energy taking care of our bodies. We exercise - in one form or another - we try to eat right, get proper rest, and go to the doctor regularly. 

All of this effort can produce wonderful results … for a time. 

The reality is that the natural progression of our earthly bodies is inevitable. For better or for worse, the years pass and our bodies change as we age. Gravity takes over, the sun wrinkles our skin, and perhaps we are not as spry as we once were. 

However, all of this is not bad news! Sure, we want to steward the physical bodies we have been given. But our bodies are not all we have to look after. We have relationships to nurture, and other lives to touch. We also gain wisdom and experience with each year we have lived. These are valuable resources to share with others. We want to honor God with all of ourselves: mind, body, soul, and strength. 

In our passage this week, Paul is seeking to address the question of what kind of bodies do we have at the resurrection. The truth is, we don’t know exactly what our bodies will be like. But we do know that those who have chosen to follow Jesus will be there with us. So while we are watching after our waistline, it is a worthy endeavor to also look after our witness. Are others curious to know more about Jesus after having been with us? 

In heaven, we will be in the presence of the Holy and Living God of all creation where we will worship Him forever. Are there people in your life whom you want to be there with you who are not yet Jesus-followers? What are ways you can nurture that relationship so they might also Hunger for a Savior?