Over the course of my adult life, I have owned two riding lawnmowers. In both cases, their life cycles were very similar. The first season would start out great. The mower would start right up and purr encouragingly as I would zip around the property happily cutting down anything in my path. Over the course of that first season, the machine would handle proudly anything I asked it to do.
Then over the next few years, it would progressively get more resistant. It would take a little longer to start, ultimately coughing up smoke once it turned over. The grass would be lower, but not really even or clean cut. Rattling noises would replace the purring from the first season until it finally stopped altogether.
Apparently, lawnmowers require oil, and the blades need to be sharpened. Without routine maintenance, they don’t work. Instead, they end up on a trailer being hauled off to the dump.
I was talking to a great friend of mine recently who is a highly accomplished businesswoman. She’s succeeded in every job and professional opportunity she’s taken on. She’s hard-working, intelligent, and an incredibly driven person.
We were discussing her desire to change up her routine so that she can take better care of herself. Getting up and racing to the office to dive into her work was leaving her a little tired. She was worn out and in need of something different. We discussed the possibility of starting the day taking care of herself first. We wondered if pouring into herself every morning would make it easier to pour into others.
Most people take better care of their lawnmowers than they do themselves.
The Bible says: “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.”
Your body is a temple, so why do we treat it like a trash can? Over time, if you don’t maintain the engine, change the oil, and practice regular daily maintenance, it’s going to start breaking down.
The only way I know how to consistently care for myself is by making it a priority. If I can’t keep a regular routine of self-care, I’m not as good for others. So, I’ve made a habit of filling myself up with good things (reading and prayer) and regular maintenance (exercise). Because the people in my life deserve me at my best. I deserve me at my best.
You and the people in your life deserve you at your best, as well. You're worth it. You are a temple.
And needless to say, I am no longer allowed to own a lawnmower.