Temple

Temple

         "Don't judge a book by its cover". This cliché is spoken often, but it may cause us to overlook the importance of the "cover". I personally always judge a person I don't know by their physical appearance. It is hard not to since this is the only aspect of their lives I can experience. It is important for us to know that our body is a representation of who we really are, even though it does not tell the whole story. We should not judge others based on their appearances, but it is important to begin to put more thought into taking care of your own body. The cover may not tell the story, but it is meant to draw the audience in.

      It says in 1 Corinthians that we should honor God with our bodies, for they are not our own. I think so often we forget that taking care of our bodies is not only a way of glorifying God, but its scripturally mandated. It is seen as vain and meaningless when people value fitness, but I think there can be a deeper meaning to staying fit. I do recognize that some people pay far too much attention to their bodies, but I am simply arguing the majority of people who pay too little attention to them. The body is our temporary dwelling place, and we should take care of it.  

       For my project, I followed around a Wheaton football player for a couple of days. He is well-known for is body. Building muscle and working on his physical appearance is a big part of who he is. Many people accuse him of vanity, but there is more to him than just his appearance. Behind the muscles, he is a kind guy who loves Jesus. I will say he is not perfect, and sometimes is caught up in the vanity of his appearance, but he is aware of this and tries to fight it. He told me in a conversation once that it all would be meaningless without Christ. He is motivated to give glory to God through his body, and he uses his bodybuilding as a platform to share Christ with those he meets along the way. I hope my work can show a little bit of where Mike's true identity lies. 

          It was extremely difficult to find the right pictures and a good order to put them in. I settled on this order because I thought it flowed well and conveyed the message I was aiming for. I began with a picture that draws attention to Mike's body, and it stands for how I think other people view him. Progressively I insert pictures of him in everyday life, showing he is more than just a body. I end on the image of the Bible because it signifies his true motivation and the greater meaning to his appearance.  

         My project is in part inspired by the blog Humans of New York. The photographer takes photos of random people on the streets of New York, and then posts them with quotes of something they said or part of their life stories. It gives deeper meaning to the faces you may pass on a daily basis. The blog causes you to see people for more than just the way they appear.

19 Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20

19 Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.” 20 They replied, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?” 21 But the temple he had spoken of was his body. 22 After he was raised from the dead, his disciples recalled what he had said. Then they believed the scripture and the words that Jesus had spoken. John 2:19-22