According to many experts, our country is experiencing a health crisis.

The U.S. has lower life expectancy at birth, higher maternal and infant mortality rates, and higher hospitalization rates from preventable causes compared to other wealthy countries.

Americans experience higher rates of chronic diseases like heart disease, lung disease, obesity, and diabetes at all income levels and across racial and ethnic groups… even though the U.S. spends significantly more per capita on healthcare than other Western nations.

The U.S. is also facing a mental health crisis. Drug overdose and suicide remain leading causes of death. Untreated mental illness imposes a significant economic cost on the U.S. economy, estimated at $282 billion annually.

Most Americans can’t pass an age-appropriate fitness test. This crisis is so bad it has become a threat to our national security. If America had to go to war, we would struggle to find enough young adults who could pass the necessary requirements.

Flourishing includes both mental and physical health. The statistics reveal a profound lack of human flourishing in our country!

Mental health is less about intelligence and more about proper functioning. It means not being depressed or anxious. It means thinking clearly and responding appropriately. It means learning to effectively control thoughts and emotions.

Social media can significantly affect mental health. High levels of social media consumption can shape self-image in negative ways due to the unrealistic portrayal of other people’s lives. And there’s a lot of “misinformation” online.

It’s essential that we feed our minds on truth, since our emotions and behaviors are informed by our thoughts and assumptions. What we look at and listen to determines what we think about and reflect on. Our transformation as Jesus’ disciples occurs largely through the “renewing of our minds” (Romans 12:2).

As we consider the mental and physical health aspect of flourishing, it’s important to remember that we are all made in the image of God (imago dei). Every person has intrinsic worth. And for Christians, that reality is magnified in a profound and mysterious way.

The Jews viewed the temple in Jerusalem as the intersection between heaven and earth. It was where Almighty God dwelled among his people. When Jesus came as the promised Mesiah, he fulfilled the Law and Prophets – achieving God’s promise to Abraham – and replaced the temple as God’s dwelling with humanity. “The Word became flesh and tabernacled among us” (John 1:14).

After Jesus ascended back to heaven, the Holy Spirit came as “God’s dwelling” in those who repent, believe the good news, and become a disciple of Jesus. As such, Christ-followers are now God’s “temple” on earth as his Spirit controls their lives. We’re not just made in God’s image; we embody God’s Spirit!

The Apostle Paul repeatedly emphasized this truth in his letter to the Corinthians (who must have really needed to hear it). Perhaps we need to hear it as well.

“Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple” (I Cor. 3:16-17).

“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” (I Cor. 6:19-20).

Regular exercise (mentally and physically), wise consumption (mentally and physically), and adequate rest (mentally and physically) are essential to flourishing.

You are the steward of God’s temple. How are you doing with that?