You’re Not Who You Are Because Of Your Body

“You need to learn to be happy by nature, because you’ll seldom have the chance to be happy by circumstance.”
-- Lavetta Sue Wegman

It’s no secret that the reverence of physical beauty is way out of proportion in our culture today. Everywhere you look — in magazines and catalogs, on television, and in the movies — sex sells. Now, I don’t think it’s inherently bad to appreciate human beauty, but in recent years our obsession with the body has made multi-millionaires out of supermodels, created a huge demand for breast implants and other surgical procedures, and otherwise put pressure on people in our society to meet the media’s current idea of the physical ideal.

Even though I’m a paid, professional fitness model, I believe that our society puts too much emphasis on the body as the definition of who we are as people. I’ve heard countless people tell me things like, “If I could only lose ten pounds, then I’d be happy.” Or, “If only my breasts were bigger, I’d be more confident.” Believe me, I’ve met people who appear to have it all, and yet they’re still unhappy. And I’ve seen people continually reach their goals, only to put off their happiness till they reach the next thing they think will make them happy.

The worst comment I get is when people tell me, “If only I had a body like yours…” This makes me cringe because I got into the fitness business to help people become the best they can be, not to wish they were like me. I want to inspire people to make better lifestyle choices, not to feel bad about themselves because they’re not on the cover of a magazine.

I work hard at what I do, and it’s taken a great deal of persistence, a pleasant attitude, a fierce commitment, and impeccable integrity to reach the level of success I’ve achieved. There’s a lot more to being a fitness model than just being in shape and showing up for photo shoots! And as for the physical part, I make no bones about the fact that genetics has played a big role in my physical development. Although I train very hard and eat perfectly most of the time, it’s really God who has blessed me with the genetics to succeed in my chosen line of work and in my ministry.

I’ve met a lot of people during my career, and I’ve often wondered why some people are motivated by the media’s suggestion of perfection while others use media images to diminish their self-esteem. I’ve often wondered why some people strive to “live the lifestyle,” while others think the models in the magazines are sinful or unholy. And I’ve often wondered why some people are inspired by physical beauty while others just get jealous.

My belief is that when the spirit is weak we give more importance to the illusion of the body. We tend to look on the outside for fulfillment rather than on the inside, and we tend to criticize things we think are threatening to us, and open ourselves to the sin of jealousy.

We all know that jealousy is a sin (Gal 5:20), mentioned along with antagonism, rivalry, bad temper, quarrels, disagreements, factions, and malice. In a physical world, it’s only natural to compare ourselves with others, even though we know deep down that all of us are equal in the eyes of God.

Comparison turns into the sin of jealousy when we use the observation of our differences to destroy the feelings of joy and peace we should feel as creatures uniquely made and loved by God. On the other hand, comparing ourselves to others can inspire us to do better in the physical world, as long as we’re able to see the big picture that goes beyond the limits of the body and embraces the eternal realm of the spirit.

This idea that we need a balance between our physical and spiritual selves became real to me after a conversation with my dear friend James DeMelo, a bodybuilder turned evangelist. He said he was praying one day about his bodybuilding competitions and how they related to his walk with God. Was it right for him to compete against other men to see who had the best body? Did God approve of this seemingly superficial activity?

As James prayed, God showed him images of the physical James and the spiritual James. What he saw shocked him. His physical self was strong and muscular, while the spiritual James was weak and looked as if he were starving. It was then that he realized he needed balance. It wasn’t that God wanted him to stop training, or even competing. He wanted James to find a balance that would raise his spirit.

God wants that for all of us. He wants us to focus as much, or more, on our spirits as we do on our bodies, but not at the expense of the physical. If we’re unhealthy and lacking energy, how will we be able to do good in a hurting world?

For all of us, the body is a temporary thing. Whether you have great genetics or struggle with diseases or disabilities that are out of your control, the body does not endure. But while the body has limitations, our spirits do not. Your spirit has an unlimited capacity for love, kindness, generosity, and forgiveness. The sin isn’t that we take care of our bodies or even take pleasure in our physicality, it’s that we worship the physical over the spiritual when they’re both important players in our human experience.

You’re not who you are because of your body, but you are who you are because of your spirit. And when that spirit is bolstered by a healthy, nourished, and active body, I believe that you’re better able to experience joy in life and better able to fulfill your responsibilities as a Christian.