What a Movie Theater Taught Me About the Temple

Last summer, my husband and I went to the movies for the first time in years. We were celebrating our 38th anniversary and made a whole day of it—driving up the mountain to Asheville, North Carolina, enjoying the scenery, the movie, and just being together. It was a really sweet day.

But after the movie ended, and we stood up to leave the theater, the place was a mess. Popcorn scattered everywhere, cups and napkins left in the seats, trash all over the floor. I remember thinking, What happened to the days when you simply took your trash to the trash can? It felt like no one cared anymore.

Fast forward to last week, when I was listening to someone talk about caring for our health and being mindful of what we put into our bodies. They reminded us that Scripture calls our bodies the temple of the Holy Spirit. As they spoke, my mind instantly flashed back to that movie theater.

I started thinking about the difference between a movie theater and a church. People may feel perfectly fine leaving a mess behind in a theater, but would they do the same in a church? Would someone bring in trash and leave it scattered on the floor or stick their gum under the pews? I would hope not. There’s a certain reverence and respect we instinctively feel for a sacred space.

And that’s when it really hit me.

If our bodies are the temple where the Holy Spirit dwells, why do we so often treat them with less care than we would a church building? We know ​what nourishes us​. We know what helps us feel stronger, clearer, and more alive. And yet, so often, we fill our bodies with junk foods we know aren’t serving us well.

This isn’t about guilt or perfection—it’s about awareness. It’s about remembering that caring for our bodies is one small, everyday way we honor the gift God has given us. Maybe the question isn’t what are we giving up, but what kind of care and respect are we willing to offer the temple we live in every day?

“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; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.” 1 Corinthians 6:19–20

January 23, 2026 Morning Brew

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