Volume 30, No. 44                                                     
November 6, 2005

A Whole New You!

      Whether you know it or not, you’re getting an extreme makeover.  Give it time and you’ll be a whole new you!  In fact, your body’s already younger than you think.

   Most tissues are under constant renewal, which can now be measured by estimating the age of human cells.  According to Swedish biologist Jonas Frisen, the average age of all the cells in an adult body may be as young as 7 to 10 years.  

   The reason we behave our birth age, and not the physical age of our cells, is that a few of the body's most important cell types don’t rejuvenate, including those in the part of the brain that governs neurological functions. Still,some researchers now believe the brain does generate new cells in other areas, such as those responsible for smell and the memories of faces and places. And though the heart doesn’t generate new muscle cells after birth, Dr. Frisen has found it does create new cardiac cells of other kinds.

   So, overall, our bodies undergo constant reconstruction as new cells replace old ones. Each kind of tissue has its own turnover time, depending mostly on how hard its cells work. For example, the extremely active ones lining the stomach last only five days;  the surface of the skin is recycled every two weeks;  the red blood cells — weakened by traveling 1,000 miles through the circulatory system — live only about four months;  liver cells are changed every year or so; and adults get a whole new skeleton every 10 years as bone-dissolving and bone-rebuilding cells work together.

   So if the body can renew  its tissues, why don’t we live forever?  Some experts think it’s because our DNA becomes gradually degraded,  or because stem cells themselves age and become less able to make new ones. Dr. Frisen hopes to see if the rate of a an organ’s regeneration slows as a person ages.  If it does, and that can be sped up, some wonder if we might one day live forever.

   Taken in a spiritual context, this research reveals an interesting parable involving the church, the Body of Christ.  After all, various parts of the Body are renewed at different times. In every collection of God’s people, some of us experience intense growth and rejuvenation while others endure a wrenching decay of the spirit.  Good thing.  Though it’d be wonderful if everyone were growing at the same rate and intensity simultaneously, the church simply couldn’t survive if we stopped renewing and progressing all at once.  The Body would die.

   Recognizing the cycle of our spiritual growth, the Scriptures tell us to be there for each other during times of strain and painful struggle.  “Be humble and gentle,” we’re told.  “Be patient, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love.  Always keep yourselves united in the Holy Spirit and bind yourselves together with peace.” (Eph. 4:2,3)
   Like human cells, believers who are most active and involved renew the fastest while Christians who do little with their faith stagnate and decay.  But whether we’re weak or strong, specific aspects of our character and conduct will change and become new at different times. That’s a reality we must accept and find comfort in.
   If we insist on beating ourselves up over the things that persistently haunt us because we can’t overcome them, we’ll live a joyless, jaded faith that rejects the grace and patience of Jesus.  The truth is, regardless of our age or spiritual experience, we’ll always have some dominant strengths and devastating weaknesses.  Over time, the specifics will change but the divided nature of our too-human hearts is permanent.  Though perfection must remain the ideal, you must deal with the “I” in ideal. If you could be perfect, you wouldn’t need the blood-bought forgiveness of Christ.  But you can’t, and you do.  As long as you let him work in and with you, his grace will cover the rest.

    “That’s why we never give up.  Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day...  For the troubles we see will soon be over, but the joys to come will last eternally.” (2 Cor.4:16,18)

   One day, we will live forever.

By Rick Gamble, published in Cross Current, the weekly newsletter of the followers of Christ nondenominational congregation in Brantford, Ontario, Canada.  Reprint at will in not-for-profit publications.  To get on a weekly mailing list for free Cross Current articles, send an email to sgamble@bfree.on.ca