Hygiene…More Than Showering
Some people might have the need for speed, some have the need for clean. Actually, we all have the need for clean, and not just clean clothes, fingernails, and hair. Read on to see how clean hands can help with a clean heart.
Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.
1 Corinthians 6:19-20
For 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
We need to take care of our bodies because they are the temples of the Holy Spirit. Maybe because a “three shower day” is what I call a great day, physical hygiene is something that comes fairly easily for me…it’s 1 Timothy 4:8 I really have to be intentional about. So many times I find my physical hygiene well taken care of, but what about my spiritual hygiene?
Let’s look at three ways we can utilize our practices of physical hygiene to enhance the spiritual hygiene.
- Hand washing This is an instrumental practice in preventing the spread of sickness and/or disease. How many times do you wash your hands each day? I would wager that it is more than a dozen if you are doing it as often as you should. What would it look like to use the time we spend each day washing our hands (a mostly mindless task) talking to our Father in Heaven? Whether that is adoration for our Lord, confession of our short comings, thanksgiving for His blessings, or asking God to help us or others; I assure you this would be time well spent.
- Showering on a regular basis Ok…so maybe I’m over the top in this area, but I LOVE to be clean. I sleep better if I shower before bed. So every night I spend 10 minutes (give or take a few J) in the shower. I come out of the shower refreshed…physically. What would it look like if I also used that time to refresh myself spiritually? Acts 3:19 tells us that through repentance we experience refreshment from our Lord. Using shower time to confess to the Lord our sins would allow time for not only physical refreshment but also spiritual restoration.
- Brushing Teeth No one wants bad breath! As followers of Christ, nor do we want the words coming from our mouth to tear others down. So let’s take the 2 minutes we brush our teeth to remedy both of these detriments to society. Memorize Psalm 19:14 and then use the time to think about how you can encourage people!
Since established physical hygiene habits can become so mindless I challenge you to be intentional using that time to improve your spiritual hygiene!
Camper Corner
“Wash your hands before you eat.” “You need a shower!” “Brush your teeth before bed!”
Ok, so mom and dad want to make sure you are taking good care of your body…well, they also want you to take good care of your relationship with our Lord! What are some other ways you can make the most of times throughout the day that you “have” to do something…especially as mindless as washing your hands?
