Shaping up for God

Nicole Reardon

James Matthews At the close of Men’s Health Week, we find out how some Australian Christian men perceive their own bodies and to ask whether physical appearance relates to a person’s potential.

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Jonathan Foye: 23, University Student

Do you lead a healthy lifestyle?

I lead quite a busy lifestyle. I’m in my final year at university studying journalism, working part-time at the Uniting Church chaplaincy on campus and I have a busy social life as well. I do find the time to exercise though. I go to the gym a couple of times a week… I actually find I work better once I’ve gone and done some exercise.

So you go to the gym in order to function better rather than to improve your physical appearance?

Yes. That’s really why I go. I don’t have any physical target or weight — it’s simply for the sake of getting exercise and for my mental health.

How do you perceive yourself?

I don’t perceive myself in terms of my body or my body image. I don’t value that primarily… I care more about my brain and personality and who I am as a Christian.

Are those the characteristics you value in other people as well?

Yes, I think so. I don’t think the body is something you judge someone on in the long term. It may be the first thing you notice about someone but that impression dissipates when you start a conversation with them.
I’ve known girls where the attraction will go as soon as they open their mouth. Conversely there I people I grew to know and like a whole lot more after having struck up a conversation with them.

Did you always hold such a strong perspective on body image?

Well, there are still days when I think “Oh, I look like crap.” Bit I think everyone has those days and has those minor doubts about themselves sometimes…
Coming to this view was a gradual thing for me. I didn’t always feel so comfortable about my body image — especially in my teens.
My perception of myself started to change as I got older, especially after I exited high school and started to mature.

Andrew Johnson: 27, Lawyer

Do you lead a healthy lifestyle?

Now that I’m a bit older I’m a little bit more careful about what I eat. It wouldn’t be fair to say that I exercise a heap but I do walk a little. Andrew Johnson - Photograph by Osker Lau
When I was younger, I had one of those bodies where I could eat whatever I liked and I would put on no weight… it negated the need for me to eat right or do any exercise.

How do you perceive yourself?

Tall, skinny and scrawny: that’s how I’d describe myself…I try and project my character rather than my actual body and I generally do this through how I dress.
I try to look trendy and confident — at job interviews for instance, I always overdress. I wear my favourite tie and my favourite shirt and cufflinks, expensive shoes.

Do you judge other people according to their physical appearance?

We all do it. I do it subconsciously. It’s the first thing you see of a person and you make your judgments accordingly.

How do you think Christians should perceive other people?

I think judgments made on stereotypes and misconceptions are something we’ve got to guard against. However, someone’s physical appearance or characteristics can often reflect something about their inner self and we should recognise this as well.
It is a bit simple to ride off one’s physical appearance saying, “it’s only the inside which counts.” It’s more complex than that.

James Matthews, 45: Uniting Church Minister

Do you live a healthy lifestyle?

I’d say so. I live by the guideline, “too busy not to exercise and too busy not to pray.” I have two children and a wife as well as being a Minister of the Word for the Uniting Church and I exercise regularly.
I’m currently training for something in December so I try and get in six or seven exercising sessions in a week.
When I’m training for something it could be at least one [training session] per day… I find that exercise improves my life at home and work as well as keeping me fit.

How do you perceive yourself?

On the Body Mass Index, I’m at the upper end for my height. I’m exactly six feet tall and weight around 86.5 kg which puts me at the upper end of the healthy range but it doesn’t take much to put me in the next weight zone, which is slightly overweight.
I’m not tall and thin. I’m reasonably solid. I’d probably still be a couple of kilos heavier than I would like to be… I’m hoping that in about three months time, I’m a healthier version of myself. Whether that makes me lighter, I’m not sure.

Is keeping fit a part of your spiritual life?

Oh yes. I believe that if you truly want to be healthy all round then it actually requires some emotional, physical, spiritual and even, healthy, ‘thinking.’

Do you believe that people are made in the image of God?

Yes I do….we can be compassionate, generous, sacrificial and a whole heap of attributes that are like God. The Bible also says that God made humankind — both male and female — in his image. I am happy knowing there is something about our humanness that reveals God in some way. I’m not quite sure, however, what these attributes are.

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