Why Taking Care of Your Body Matters to God

Your body is a gift from God — and He made it with lots of love

Let's imagine a make-believe story. Sam is six. For his birthday, Grandma gave him a shiny red bike. Sam loves it so much! He wipes off the mud. He puts it inside when it rains. "It's a gift," he says, "so I take good care of it." One hot day, Sam rides and rides at the park. Whew! He is so thirsty. His friend Leo holds up a big fizzy soda. Sam looks in his lunchbox and finds a bottle of cold water. He thinks about his bike. Then he smiles: "My body is a gift too — a gift from God!" He drinks the cool water. Ahhh! Leo laughs. "Can I have some too?" And Sam shares. Sam is not a real boy. He is a picture of many kids. But his idea is true: your body is a gift from God!

Did you know God made you on purpose? He made your eyes that blink, your heart that goes thump-thump, your legs that run and your arms that hug. Every body is different. Some kids are tall and some are small. Some kids run fast. Some kids use a wheelchair. Some kids get sick a lot. God loves every one of them — and He loves you!

The Bible says something amazing about your body. It is like a temple! A temple is a special house for God. When you love Jesus, God's Holy Spirit comes to live with you. So your body is a special place. And God loves you so much that Jesus gave everything for you. That is what "bought with a price" means.

Here is something very important. We don't take care of our bodies so that God will love us. God already loves us! We take care of our bodies to say, "Thank You, God, for this gift!" — just like Sam with his bike.

Now, let's meet a brave boy from the Bible. His name was Daniel. Daniel was taken far away from home to the big palace of a king. The king wanted Daniel and his friends to eat the king's fancy food and drink the king's wine. But Daniel made a choice in his heart.

Did Daniel shout or stomp his feet? No! He asked kindly. He said to the man who took care of them: "Please try us for ten days. Let us eat vegetables and drink water." The man said yes. God had helped Daniel be friends with him (Daniel 1:9).

After ten days, Daniel and his friends looked healthy and strong — even better than the young men who ate the king's food (Daniel 1:15)! And God gave them something special: He gave them wisdom to learn. The vegetables did not make Daniel smart all by themselves. It was God who gave the wisdom!

God wants you to be happy and healthy, inside and out. A friend of Jesus named John wrote this kind wish to his friend:

So how can YOU say "thank You" to God for your body? Here are some fun ways:

• Drink water. Your body loves water — just like a flower!
• Eat God's colorful foods. In the very beginning, God gave people fruits, grains and plants with seeds to eat (Genesis 1:29). Try a red apple, an orange carrot, green peas! Treats can be fun sometimes, too.
• Move and play. Run, jump, dance, stretch, or wiggle your fingers and toes — whatever your body can do!
• Go outside. Breathe fresh air and enjoy God's sunshine (with a grown-up).
• Sleep and rest. Sleep is a gift! The Bible says God "giveth his beloved sleep" (Psalm 127:2). And on the Sabbath, God gives us a whole day to rest with Him.
• Talk to Jesus. Ask Him to help you make good choices, like Daniel did.

What if you forget, or choose the soda after all? That's okay! God does not stop loving you. Tomorrow is a new day to try again. And if you get sick, it does not mean you did something bad. Jesus loves you when you are well, and He loves you when you are sick.

My body is a gift from God — and I can say "thank You" by taking care of it!

Ellen G. White wrote a book about health called The Ministry of Healing. In the chapter "Natural Remedies" (p. 127), she made a list of God's helpers for our bodies: "Pure air, sunlight, abstemiousness, rest, exercise, proper diet, the use of water, trust in divine power—these are the true remedies." ("Abstemiousness" is a big word. It means not too much of things!) Can you count them on your fingers? There are eight!

Kids: always ask a grown-up before you try new foods or new games. Grown-ups: this is spiritual encouragement, not medical advice — consult a qualified professional before changing your child's diet, exercise or medication; in an emergency call 911.

Want to learn more? Ask a grown-up to explore the free Bible studies "Your Body, God's Temple" and "God's Gift of Rest" with you. Visit Your questions, the Bible's answer — and ask your own. Your family can also try our free "New Believer" 30-day reading plan, and visit our FAQ and our Faith Journey page.

Take-home sheet

• God made me wonderful. Every body is loved by God — mine too!
• My body is like a temple, a special place where God's Spirit lives.
• God already loves me. I take care of my body to say "thank You."
• Like Daniel, I can make good choices kindly — and God gives wisdom.
• Water, colorful foods, play, fresh air, sunshine, sleep, rest and trusting God are His gifts to me.

Fun activity: Draw a big outline of a body (or trace yourself on paper with a grown-up!). Inside, draw eight little "thank You" pictures: a glass of water, a fruit, a tree for fresh air, a sun, a bed, someone running or dancing, a plate with "just enough," and praying hands. Write on top: "I am fearfully and wonderfully made!" (Psalm 139:14). Then make a "Daniel's 10-day chart" with your family: each day, color a star when you drink water or eat a fruit or vegetable. It's not a test — it's a thank-You game!

Think about it: What is one part of your body you want to thank God for today?

For parents & teachers

• Make clear that Sam and Leo are make-believe, but every Bible verse is real — open the Bible and read Daniel 1 together.
• Keep it grace-first: God loves us first, and caring for our bodies is a "thank You," never a way to earn His love (1 Corinthians 6:20; 1 John 4:19).
• Never shame a child's body, size or plate. No talk of "fat" or "thin," and no "good kid / bad kid" foods. Focus on God's gifts: water, colorful foods, play, sleep, fresh air and rest.
• Tell Daniel's story accurately: he asked respectfully, the steward agreed, and God gave the wisdom (Daniel 1:8-17).
• Children with illness or disability are fully loved by God. Sickness is not a punishment or a sign of weak faith (John 9:3).
• If your child seems very worried about food, eating or their body, listen gently and talk with your pediatrician or a qualified counselor.
• This is spiritual encouragement, not medical advice — consult a qualified professional before changing your child's diet, exercise or medication; in an emergency call 911.
• End with a short prayer: "Thank You, God, for making me wonderful. Help me take care of the body You gave me."

10 Myths vs Facts

Sources

• Bible verses: Psalm 139:14; 1 Corinthians 6:19-20; Daniel 1:8; Daniel 1:12; Daniel 1:17; 3 John 1:2; 1 Corinthians 10:31; Daniel 1:9, Daniel 1:15, Genesis 1:29, Psalm 127:2, Mark 6:31, John 9:3, 1 John 4:19 and Romans 12:1 (referenced) — King James Version (public domain).
• Seventh-day Adventist beliefs: https://adventist.org/beliefs · https://gc.adventist.org/
• Ellen G. White, The Ministry of Healing, chapter "Natural Remedies," p. 127 (public domain): https://whiteestate.org/ · https://m.egwwritings.org/

© 2026 Ministère du Pasteur Clément Salomon. All rights reserved. Provided free for personal and ministry use — please share it unaltered and with credit; commercial use or resale is not permitted. Scripture is quoted from public-domain translations; Ellen G. White writings are in the public domain.