How should we think of physical education in the light of eternity? After all, why spend time exercising our bodies, when no matter how fit we are, we’ll all grow old and weak and frail one day. Shouldn’t we focus on more eternal, transcendent things?
Indeed, 1 Timothy 4:7-8 says, “train yourself for godliness; 8 for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.”
To be sure, godliness, i.e., following God’s commands, is always of greater value than exercising or playing sports. But that is true of intellectual pursuits as well. Just as our bodies will age and decay, so will our minds. Being a brilliant physicist or a poetic genius won’t last much longer than being a great marathoner or a first-rate soccer player—maybe a few years longer, but that’s all.
The reason we train our bodies—and our minds—is not because they will last forever. It is because doing so is training in godliness. Training our bodies is following God’s command.
Mark 12:30 says: “And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.” And in 1 Corinthians 9:26-27 Paul writes: “I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.”
We were created as whole people in the image of God—heart, soul, mind, and body. To neglect any of these, failing to train whatever body God has given us, would be a failure to train ourselves in godliness. PE is an opportunity to honor the Creator with your strength—and that always has eternal significance.
Have a wonderful day.
