The Ultimate Wealth

How well did you take care of your body this week? I mean, did you eat right? Did you exercise some? Did you go to bed late every night?

I have a friend who prides himself on staying up late. Always bragging about how he “burned the midnight oil” and didn’t get much sleep. He always seems to have bags over his eyes though during the day and is dragging… looking and feeling tired. Do you have a friend like that?

I also have another friend who doesn’t ever exercise. She always uses the elevator when there is a choice of even just one flight of stairs right in front of her. She complains about not being able to breath too well and has to sit down frequently while walking to take “recuperation” breaks. Do you have a friend like that?

I have another friend who doesn’t eat well at all. I mean, he is always shoving his mouth full of junk food! His favorite is actually Doritos (especially the Doritos taco at Taco Bell!). He is overweight by at least 10-15 pounds, and is constantly complaining about having an upset stomach. Do you know anyone like that?

I will say that I don’t just know people like that – I used to BE that person. But I made a commitment several years ago that I would NOT be this person anymore. And it takes a BIG commitment to do this.

A Real Christian Businessman knows that he has to take care of his body or he will not be able to take care of his family or his job. Taking care of ourselves is the first course of action – even in an emergency (“first place the oxygen mask over your face and then place it over your children”). The Bible teaches us that taking care of ourselves is something we are tasked to do:

“Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.” 1 Cor 6:19-20 (ESV)

Exercising, sleeping well and taking care of what goes into our body is the one thing that we can control but we do not choose to! It is also the one thing that money – no matter how much we may have – cannot change the result.   How do you think a very rich man that was seriously ill would respond if he could trade all of his wealth to be healthy again? I think we all know the answer to that.

How do we take care of ourselves then? It takes commitment and small steps over a long period of time. You will not see the results of these actions immediately but in the long run you will reap all kinds of benefits.

It took me awhile to build in the fact that I need to exercise for at least 30 minutes 5 times a week. I don’t do anything spectacular (swim laps or run on a treadmill or ride an exercise bike), but over time I have been able to tell a big difference in how I feel. It is a non-negotiable for me now. So if a lunch meeting gets scheduled (which is when I usually work out) I just make sure I go in a little early that day and exercise, or I adjust my schedule so I can work out after work prior to getting home.

Find a reason to take care of yourself (I for one want to be able to play with my children’s children one day!). Take small steps (start out with a goal of exercising twice this week), put the right foods in your body, and gradually you will notice a change.

A change for the good.

A change that will yield you the ultimate wealth.

Your health.