Yes, the Bible certainly urges us to take care of our bodies. God gave our bodies to us, and He doesn’t want us to abuse them or neglect them. Many of the laws in the Old Testament, for example, warned the people against foods that might be harmful (particularly since they had few ways to keep food from spoiling).

The Apostle Paul wrote, “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you?… Therefore honor God with your body” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). At the same time, it’s possible to become so absorbed with our physical well-being that we let it take over our lives. When that happens, life can lose its joy and we end up ignoring things that are just as important (or more so).

Don’t let this happen to you. Most of all, don’t let your concern for your family’s physical well-being blind you to a far more important issue: their moral and spiritual health. Some day, this life will end—no matter how carefully we take care of our bodies.

The Bible says, “Physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come” (1 Timothy 4:8).Put Jesus Christ at the center of your life—both for yourself and your family. Then strengthen your life spiritually every day, as you feed on the “spiritual diet” God has provided for us—the “diet” of God’s Word, prayer, and fellowship with other believers.