The body’s frame of reference
Thinking back to my high school physics class, the teacher asked a question about movement and stability. The answer, as it turned out, depended on the frame of reference – the object or place from which events are observed. The perception of those events changes as the frame of reference changes.
In the Bible, Jesus uses this very idea to explain the connection between our body and soul. He reveals a different frame of reference for the events in our lives, one that allows us to care for both parts of ourselves by putting them in the correct order.
The Conflict of Frames: The Body vs. The Soul
In Mark 7:1–23, Jesus’ disciples were being judged by the Pharisees because they hadn’t washed their hands before eating. The Pharisees claimed this act made them “defiled.” This was the Pharisees’ frame of reference: the body and its traditions. They focused on outward appearances, believing that if the body was messed up, the soul would be defiled as well.
This is what we read in Mark 7:5:
“So the Pharisees and teachers of the law asked Jesus, ‘Why don’t your disciples live according to the tradition of the elders instead of eating their food with defiled hands?’”
Jesus’ frame of reference, however, was the soul and what comes from the heart. He warned them to be aware of the evil thoughts that defile a person, which come from within.
Mark 7:20–23:
“What comes out of a person is what defiles them. For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil thoughts come—sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. All these evils come from inside and defile a person.”
This dynamic is not so different from our world today. We are immersed in a culture of body worship, obsessed with beauty treatments, healthy food, supplements, workouts, and the latest fashions. We strive to be in the spotlight, to present a perfect image to the world.
These attempts mirror those of the Pharisees, who were overly concerned with external purification to cleanse their inner selves. Jesus called them out on this in Matthew 23:27, saying:
“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean. In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous, but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.”
Living God’s Perspective: A Soul with a Body
Jesus summarises this circumstance by giving them his “other-way-round” perspective. First, look at your soul and make sure it is well. Jesus establishes a hierarchy: what is within comes before what is outside. What your heart produces will determine what your body expresses.
Today, scientists are exploring how emotions can contribute to disease or, conversely, to happiness. Many studies have shown a connection between illness and our thoughts, emotions, and perspectives. This reinforces the idea that what’s happening on the inside has a profound effect on the outside.
One might conclude that we should neglect our bodies and focus only on our souls. But that’s not the truth, for our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19). We care for our bodies in modesty and in a way that pleases God, keeping ourselves fit for any good work he has prepared for us (Galatians 5:22–23; 2 Timothy 3:17).
We should think the “other way round” of the world, recognising that we are a soul that has a body to live in, not a body that has a soul. The body is temporary and has a specific expiration date, but the soul is eternal. We must emphasise keeping our souls clean through Jesus’ redemption and healthy through the Word of God.
By filling our hearts with good things, we must pay attention to what we see, hear, smell, and touch. Everything around us offers an opportunity to fill our hearts for good or for bad. May the Lord grant us the wisdom to choose well.
Remembering God’s frame of reference is choosing where we get our perspective from. His “other-way-round” perspective helps us organise our lives to pay attention to eternal life while establishing modesty for the body while we are still here. If we only look at the world’s frame of reference, we would be nothing more than pretty whitewashed tombs.
I’d like to challenge you with this question:
Are you prepared to share the same frame of reference as God and live God’s “other-way-round” perspective for your life?
Prayer:
Dear God, thank you for showing us your perspective on our lives through your Word and giving us a new mindset apart from the world’s standards. Please help us to never forget about our souls, keeping them clean by your redeeming blood and living in the opposite direction of sin and hypocrisy. We accept the challenge of living from your perspective. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Need help?
Living God’s “other-way-round” perspective is a daily journey that begins with nourishing your soul with His truth. To help you in this process, we invite you to join our community and immerse yourself in the Word of God by following our Bible in 1 Year Reading Plan. Also, our ebook The Things Above will be a great tool for this specific task of understanding God’s way. For more practical insights and teachings on living a life centred on the eternal, be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel. Let these resources be a part of your journey as you continue to prioritise what truly matters—your soul.
To conclude, I’d like to share this video on how God’s plan is always higher and better than ours, because he has everything planned for us in a way that will make the blessings around us abound, even in the lives of others.
