A subject of wide interest is how to take care of the human body. Clothing, feeding, and caring for the human body seems to consume a large portion of the time and effort of most of us. It's a great challenge, then, to be faced with Christ Jesus' teaching to take no thought for the body. He pointed to a deeper concern. He said, "Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?" Matt. 6:25;
We learn in Christian Science that individuality is the spiritual essence of which one's human body is his present, but imperfect, concept. And it's far more important to understand the nature of true individuality than it is to give so much attention to the physical body. In fact, the only way to care for the body properly and protect it from sin, disease, accident, death, is to understand something of the real man's identity and his relation to God. In this way we can find out what constitutes man in God's likeness and image. We can recognize the truth of man's indestructible individuality as the reflection of God and find that this individuality is always under the sustaining care and protection of the Almighty. In this way we can demonstrate health and harmony and properly care for the human body.
An attack on the human body, whether through disease, accident, or sin, is actually an attack on one's concept of individuality or identity. Once we understand this deeper implication, we'll make our efforts for defense in more direct and meaningful ways. Throughout his teaching in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus directed attention to the type of thinking that one does, the content of one's consciousness. He cautioned against hatred, malice, greed, sensual thinking, hypocrisy, fear. He emphasized that the content of one's thinking is much more important to him than the food he eats or the clothes he wears. This is where the vital action is. And this is where one is either open to attack or protected and under the care of God, divine Mind. The Bible tells us, "Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life."Prov. 4:23;
