READ: GENESIS 1:27; PSALM 139:13-16; EPHESIANS 5:1-4

The human body is amazing! Did you know that the human heart, which is only about as big as a clenched fist, pumps over 4,000 gallons of blood a day? Or that human eyes are protected by seven interlocking bones? Or that the palms of your hands are sort of skid-proof so you can get a grip on things? God created the human body in His image with the ability to do amazing things.

His great handiwork is nothing to laugh about. But sometimes, we as humans say things that aren’t respectful about the human body, even mocking others whose bodies look different from ours.

That’s not how God wants us to treat the people He created. He loves us so much, He sent Jesus to live among us as a human, physical body and all. Out of love, Jesus died for us. When we put our trust in Jesus, He gives us new hearts—not physical hearts that pump blood, but hearts that are cleansed from sin, no longer hard and stubborn but tender and responsive, eager to follow God’s good ways (Ezekiel 36:25-27; Matthew 22:36-40).

And one day, God is also going to give us new physical bodies. Just as Jesus rose from the dead, all God’s people will be raised to life when Jesus returns, and our new bodies will be free from sin, sickness, and death.

Because God created us with care and provided us with such amazing bodies, we need to treat our bodies—and everyone else’s—with respect. Our human bodies remind us how much God loves us and all He’s done for us… and what He promises to do for us in the future. • A. W. Smith

• What amazes you the most about the human body? Consider taking a moment to thank God for creating us this way.

• Read Hebrews 4:14-16. God became human, so Jesus knows what it’s like to be human in a world that’s broken by sin and its effects. And He promises that those who know Him as their Savior will be raised bodily when He makes all things new. How might these truths affect the way we view ourselves and others, including our bodies?

• Have you ever been tempted to make fun of other people’s bodies or your own body? You can ask Jesus to forgive you for the times you didn’t treat people He loves, and their bodies, with respect, and you can rest in the assurance that His death and resurrection have already paid the price for your sin.

God created human beings in his own image. Genesis 1:27a (NLT)