Dr H Reflections

The beloved are nots

The beloved are nots

God blesses those who are poor in spirit and realize their need for him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs. – Matthew 5:3

1 Corinthians 1:26-28

26 Remember, dear brothers and sisters, that few of you were wise in the world’s eyes or powerful or wealthy when God called you.

27 Instead, God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful.

28 God chose things despised by the world, things counted as nothing at all, the things that are not, and used them to bring to nothing what the world considers important.

What values were the motivating force of the culture of the Greco-Roman world? It was a time and place defined by the level of status and honor one possessed (MacMullen). “Rome was a highly stratified and therefore an immensely self-conscious society characterized by complex systems for defining, signifying, and acknowledging status” (Beacham). Money (Pecunia) and Status (Philotimia) were worshiped as goddesses (Barclay).

Celsus was a second-century Greek philosopher and antagonist of early Christianity. He wrote one of the most scathing attacks on Christianity of that time. He asserted that the Christian outlook was: “Let no cultured person draw near, none wise, none sensible; for all that kind of thing we count evil; but if any man is ignorant if any is wanting in sense and culture if any is a fool let him come boldly.” He claimed that the Christians were “‘like a swarm of bats – or ants creeping out of their nests – or frogs holding a symposium around a swamp – or worms in gathering in a corner of mud” (Barclay).

What made Christianity so attractive to those who would become children of the King? It “introduced them into a society committed to looking at them primarily as people, all equally valuable and valued. It gave them a space in which they could flourish in freedom.” The cross “embodied the paradox they lived” and “made sense of the ambiguity of their lives” (Murphy-O’Connor).

This gracious acceptance is what made Christianity remarkable and attractive. The Roman Empire had over 60,000,000 slaves. “In the eyes of the law, a slave was a ‘living tool’, a thing and not a person at all . . .. Christianity made people who were things into real men and women; more, into sons and daughters of God. It gave self-respect to those who had no respect; it gave life eternal to those who had no life; it told them that, even if they did not matter to others, they still mattered intensely to God. It told people who were worthless in the eyes of the world that, in the eyes of God, they were worth the death of his only Son. Christianity was, and still is, the most uplifting thing in the whole universe” (Barclay).

The Father chose the are nots to confound those that are. To Him, they were beloved!

1 Corinthians 1:28 God chose things despised by the world, things counted as nothing at all, the things that are not, and used them to bring to nothing what the world considers important.

REFLECT & PRAY

Children of the King are the beloved are nots ofthe eternal, omnipotent Father God.

Father thank You for loving me just as I am, sinful and foolish. There is nothing I could ever do to earn Your acceptance and love. Thank You for graciously bestowing upon me.

INSIGHT

Who are the children of the King? They are typically not those whom the world considers of high esteem. They are not wise in the world’s eyes or powerful or wealthy (1 Corinthians 1:26). Rather, with a few exceptions (Moses, Joseph, Daniel, Esther, Paul, etc.) they are the antithesis of what the world would choose. They are just regular folks. But they are the Father’s folks. What the world does not choose, the Father has chosen. He has chosen to make them His own and they are beloved.

Pause and consider that for a moment. That is exactly what Paul asked us to do to consider or think about our calling (1 Corinthians 1:26)

Why did the Father choose us?

The Greek verb translated as chosen is eklegomai. Eklegomai has the sense of selecting for one’s own reasons or purposes from a number of alternatives. To get a bit technical, this Greek verb is in the middle voice of Greek. The middle voice is used to express self-involvement or self-interest. Thus it connotes that the Father had a stake, a personal interest in the choices which He made. He chose the children of the King to be His because He wanted to. The Father wanted us. We are attractive and desirable to Him. We are His beloved.

What a glorious, gracious method of selection. There is no competition to make the cut. The Father has chosen those whom He has chosen. This reality is reiterated three times by Paul for emphasis in 1 Corinthians 1:27-28. He has chosen “from the midst of the world . . . those individuals whom no one judged worthy of attention and made them the bearers of His kingdom” (Garland).

The need for love and acceptance is a universal desire of the human race. Abraham Maslow conceived a hierarchy of human need in 1943. It has become a motivational theory in psychology. According to Maslow, the need for love and belonging is of foundational importance to the human race. Every child of the King is unconditionally loved and accepted for time and eternity.

According to the world, the children of the King are foolish. The Greek word translated as foolish is moros. Moros connotes dull, stupid, or foolishness. The English word moron comes from this word. Those who are morons in the eyes of the world are greatly loved by the Father. What matters most, the opinions of fallen humankind or the assessment and choice of the Father, the living God?

Paul compares the children of the King who are considered to be foolish, weak, and powerless, to the seeming weakness and powerlessness of the cross. The work of the cross and the death of Christ to redeem a lost world, is the greatest work ever wrought by the mighty arm of the Father, the omnipotent God.

Isaiah 52:10 The LORD has bared His holy arm . . .. that all the ends of the earth may see the salvation of our God.

“God chose the foolish because the wise thought the cross was sheer folly as a means for saving the world, the weak because the strong thought they were powerful enough without God, and the low and despised because the high and mighty did not care to debase themselves by attaching themselves to a crucified God” (Garland).

“God purposely chose the things that humans consider foolish in order to shame so-called wise people, and he chose the things that humans consider weak to shame powerful people” (UBS). “… for he (God) wanted to reduce to nothing those who are something before men” (GeCL).“He (God) decided to cause people whom humans consider important to have no importance at all” (UBS).

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A spirit of contentment ∙

A spirit of contentment ∙

So we can confidently say, “The LORD is my helper so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me?” – Hebrews 13:6

Deuteronomy 31:3-6

3 The LORD your God himself will go over before you.

6 So be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid and do not panic before them. For the LORD your God will personally go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor abandon you.

A safe place, a feeling of safety, is often essential for a spirit of contentment and well-being. It is often hard to find a safe place when life is fraught with anxiety, stress, and trauma. Where do you go to feel safe?

Many think of a safe place as a secure location. At the same time, others think of it mainly as a mental or emotional state. In the realm of psychology, this often involves imagining or visualizing a tranquil, serene, often uplifting spot or scene. For children of the King, our safe place is not imaginary. It is real and found in a person, the Father God, and the promises He has made to us.

Sadly, many of us grew up in circumstances that were not secure. Often this has to do with the lack of good and biblically-based parenting. Parents are to impart a sense of security and safety. They are supposed to provide “our safe place.” The Father intended human fathers to play a significant role in providing a sense of well-being, acceptance, and protection in the lives of the children.

We have a hole in our hearts and souls if we lack a safe place. Our heart is wounded.

Our Father in heaven truly intends to make this right in our lifetimes. He has made unconditional promises regarding His intentions. Although we are often told and believe otherwise, contentment has little to do with material wealth, prestige, position, or power. Further, our physical security can never be fully guaranteed in a world filled with unexpected events and catastrophes.

But there is a better way, a more excellent way. Given time, practice, and perseverance, it works. The Father is, indeed, our father, and we are part of His Forever Family. In and through Him, we have all we need.

But contentment is like a muscle, and it must be exercised. Through persistent effort and repetition, we develop a spirit of contentment over time and learn to rely firmly on the Father’s presence and provision.

Living with contentment does not mean that we do not experience fear or anxiety from time to time. But we do not have to give in to our worst fears and let them control us. Why do we feel fear and dread? Could it be because we feel vulnerable or like we are losing? Is it because we cannot control our circumstances or even a tiny corner of the world in which we live? What empowers our fear? Indeed the pain, sorrow, and wounds of a lifetime permeate our hearts and inform our sense of well-being and security.

REFLECT & PRAY

How disturbing and frightening it is to have to face a dreadful trial alone. The Father tells us that “those who know Him never have to worry about that. He is right there with us, in the easiest and most difficult times” (Stanley).

Father, at times I have such fear and dread in my heart. I do not want to be like this. You promised that perfect love casts out fear. I long for my heart to know and experience the safe place You promised.

INSIGHT

C. S. Lewis said, “100 percent of us die, and the percentage cannot be increased.” Death is inevitable but are we. As children of the King, are we doomed to live in fear of death? Absolutely not!

“Where does the fear of death come from? Partly, it comes from fear of the unknown. But still more, it comes from the sense of sin . . . But where does that sense of sin come from? It comes from a sense of being under the law” (Barclay).

As long as people see in God only the law of righteousness, they feel like criminals who stand before a judge with no hope of acquittal. But this is precisely what Jesus came to abolish. “He came to tell us that God is not law but love, that the center of God’s being is not legalism but grace” (Barclay). When we go home, we do not go to meet a harsh judge but rather to a loving Father who eagerly awaits the homecoming of His dear children. Because of that, Jesus gave us victory over death, and the fear of death is banished in the wonder of God’s love (Barclay).

1 Corinthians 15:54-57

54 “Death is swallowed up in victory.”

55 “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?”

56 For sin is the sting that results in death, and the law gives sin its power.

57 But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ.

This promised victory is certain. It is a part of the inheritance of every child of the King. It is also our present possession. We do not have to struggle and try to win. The battle has already been won. By faith, we actualize it.

This is where modern psychology and scriptural truth coalesce. Psychology speaks of visualizing real memories or imaginary locations that are pleasant, tranquil, and safe places. The Scriptures ask us to hold fast and believe the Father’s promises by faith.

Hebrews 11:1 Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see.

If the ultimate fear is death and Jesus conquered it through His resurrection and the redemption it provided each of us, why do we fear death?

Hebrews 13:6 So we can confidently say, “The Lord is my helper, and I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?”

But we do have a responsibility in this. We have to choose to walk with the Father daily and live out our faith. We have to build restorative times when we occupy our safe place. We focus on building character rather than on our efforts’ outcome. And love rather than judgment and condemnation should become our natural, “normal” spontaneous reflex. Our love, compassion, and forgiveness should speak louder than our fears and doubts.

1 John 4:18 Perfect love expels all fear.

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Priceless blood

Priceless blood

You know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And the ransom he paid was not mere gold or silver. It was the precious blood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God. – 1 Peter 1:18-19

Hebrews 9:11-14

11 [Christ] has entered that greater, more perfect Tabernacle in heaven, which was not made by human hands and is not part of this created world.

12 With his own blood – not the blood of goats and calves – he entered the Most Holy Place once for all time and secured our redemption forever.

13 Under the old system, the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a young cow could cleanse people’s bodies from ceremonial impurity.

14 Just think how much more the blood of Christ will purify our consciences from sinful deeds so that we can worship the living God. For by the power of the eternal Spirit, Christ offered himself to God as a perfect sacrifice for our sins.

Laura Keene was a British stage actress and theater manager. On the night of 14 April 1865, Laura Keene’s company was performing Our American Cousin at Ford’s Theatre in Washington, D.C. President Abraham Lincoln and his wife, Mary Todd Lincoln, were in attendance watching the play. During the 3rd act, John Wilkes Booth fatally shot President Lincoln in the presidential box.

According to Smithsonian magazine, Keene made her way to the presidential box where Lincoln lay during the confusion. She knelt beside Lincoln’s unconscious body and cradled his head in her lap. Some of Lincoln’s blood trickled on her dress, leaving a crimson stain. Over the years, five swatches have survived, and one was donated to the National Museum of American History. It is considered priceless because it is the blood of one of the greatest and most revered man that ever lived. It was further hallowed because an evil doer cruelly executed him.

If the blood of Abraham Lincoln is priceless because he was one of the most remarkable men who ever lived, how can we possibly set a value on the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ? The Scriptures refer to the blood of Christ as precious (1 Peter 1:19). The blood of Lincoln was precious in the sight of many. But the blood of Christ is precious in the sight of God, His Father.

The blood of Christ has two meanings in the Scriptures. On the one hand, it refers to the actual blood of the Lord Jesus Christ that He shed on the cross. On the other hand, it refers to His sacrificial death on the cross.

In the second case, the blood of Christ is a figure of speech, a metaphor. In ancient times, when the blood of a person or animal was shed, it referred to their death. There was no such thing as a blood transfusion. Thus the term blood is used as a figure of speech, metonymy, for death. The blood of Christ is a catchphrase for the substitutionary death of the Lord Jesus Christ for the sins of the world.

However, the blood of Christ is not merely a metaphor. “To be atoning, Christ’s death had to be a sacrificial blood-shedding, and His blood had to be shed in the death of the cross. In other words, death and blood are not mutually exclusive terms. Each supposes the other” (Alan Cairns).

The blood of Christ is precious because of Who the Lord Jesus Christ is, the Son of God, the Savior of the world, the King of Kings, and the Lord of lords.

But Christ’s blood is also precious for a more crucial reason: what it accomplished.

Romans 5:8-9

8 But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.

9 And since we have been made right in God’s sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God’s condemnation.

Because of the blood of Christ, His death on the cross, the sin debt of all humanity has been paid once and for all. The blood of Christ is the source of redemption, atonement, forgiveness, and reconciliation to God the Father.

1 Peter 1:18-23

18 For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And the ransom he paid was not mere gold or silver.

19 It was the precious blood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God.

20 God chose him as your ransom long before the world began, but he has now revealed him to you in these last days.

21 Through Christ, you have come to trust in God. And you have placed your faith and hope in God because he raised Christ from the dead and gave him great glory.

22 You were cleansed from your sins when you obeyed the truth, so now you must show sincere love to each other as brothers and sisters. Love each other deeply with all your heart.

23 For you have been born again, but not to a life that will quickly end. Your new life will last forever because it comes from the eternal, living word of God.

The ransom for sin required death, the death of the innocent, spotless Lamb of God. When children of the King accept the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord, our ransom was paid, and we have been cleansed and forgiven our sins. We have been born again and introduced to eternal life with God forever. We are part of His Forever Family.

REFLECT & PRAY

“The blood of anyone is ‘precious’ (costly), far above gold or silver, but that of Jesus immeasurably more so (A.T. Robertson).

Father help me to comprehend and appreciate how immeasurably precious the blood of Christ is. Without it, I would still be lost in my sins.

INSIGHT

The Greek word translated as precious is timios. Timios refers to something of great worth or cost; held in esteem, respected, honored, valued, prized, precious, of high price, costly, as a precious stone. The name Timothy is derived from this word.

For millennia, people have asked a question of great pith in various ways. What does it take to enter into a right relationship with the living God? Can it be purchased with gold or silver? Can we use other forms of valuable items or even cash? Can we earn it by our own efforts? The apostle Peter answered this question once and for all.

1 Peter 1:18b-19

18 knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold

19 It was the precious blood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God.

Our redemption and freedom were secured not by things that were temporal or perishable. The Greek word translated as perishable is phthartos. Phthartos can be translated in numerous ways: something that can be destroyed (TEV); “which can lose its value” (GECL); “doomed to decay” (Brc); “of transient value” (Phps); “which can become worthless” (USB).

Our atonement and forgiveness were secured by the costly sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ. During the Old Testament period, the animal sacrifice system required the death of an innocent animal was necessary for atonement. weThThreggfdz ikii I The blood of Christ, His death on the cross, provided forgiveness and redemption.

O the Blood of Jesus

There is power, power,

Wonder working pow’r,

In the blood of the Lamb.

There is power, power,

Wonder working pow’r,

In the precious blood of the Lamb.

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Provisions for the unexpected

Provisions for the unexpected

So I know that this will turn out for my deliverance through your prayers and the provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ. – Philippians 1:19

Genesis 22:6-14

6 So Abraham placed the wood for the burnt offering on Isaac’s shoulders, while he himself carried the fire and the knife. As the two of them walked on together,

7 Isaac turned to Abraham and said, “Father?” “Yes, my son?” Abraham replied. “We have the fire and the wood,” the boy said, “but where is the sheep for the burnt offering?”

8 “God will provide a sheep for the burnt offering, my son,” Abraham answered. And they both walked on together.

9 When they arrived at the place where God had told him to go, Abraham built an altar and arranged the wood on it. Then he tied his son, Isaac, and laid him on the altar on top of the wood.

10 And Abraham picked up the knife to kill his son as a sacrifice.

11 At that moment the angel of the LORD called to him from heaven, “Abraham! Abraham!” “Yes,” Abraham replied. “Here I am!”

12 “Don’t lay a hand on the boy!” the angel said. “Do not hurt him in any way, for now I know that you truly fear God. You have not withheld from me even your son, your only son.”

13 Then Abraham looked up and saw a ram caught by its horns in a thicket. So he took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering in place of his son.

14 Abraham named the place Yahweh-Yireh (which means “The LORD will provide”). To this day, people still use that name as a proverb: “On the mountain of the LORD it will be provided.”

On planet Earth, unexpected losses and calamities occur. On June 24, 2021, Champlain Towers South, a 12-story beachfront condominium in the Miami suburb of Surfside, Florida, partially collapsed. The pancake collapse destroyed 55 of the 136 units in the building.

The building had been sinking since the 1990s at a significant rate of about two millimeters (0.079 in) per year. In 2018, an inspection showed a “major error” in the construction of the pool deck, whereby the waterproofing was not sloped. Consequently, water collected there until it could evaporate. Over the years, the concrete slabs below the pool deck became severely damaged by the collected water. The report noted the waterproofing below the pool deck was beyond its useful life and must all be completely removed and replaced. The firm wrote that “failure to replace waterproofing in the near future will cause the extent of the concrete deterioration to expand exponentially.”

How can such eventualities be prepared for? How can people in need be helped? In the business world, particularly banking, to cover future potential adversities, “provisions” must be set aside.

What are provisions?

Provisions represent funds put aside by a company to cover unanticipated losses in the future. In other words, a provision is a liability of uncertain timing and amount. Income tax liabilities, warranties, loan defaults, asset devaluation, future litigation fees, etc., are typical provisions. To account for these risks, companies must make provision to ensure they have enough money set apart to cover them.

The Scriptures are clear that the Father is all-powerful and loves each child of the King. He has made ample provision and promised to take care of our needs. But exactly how does that work?

Abraham walked with the Father for some time. He learned much from previous experiences. But what he was asked to believe in Genesis 17 was, humanly speaking, impossible. He was past the age of being able to have a child. The same was true of his wife.

Genesis 17:17 He laughed to himself in disbelief. “How could I become a father at the age of 100?” he thought. “And how can Sarah have a baby when she is ninety years old?”

Genesis 18:12 Sarah laughed silently to herself and said, “How could a worn-out woman like me enjoy such pleasure, especially when my master – my husband – is also so old?”

Human limitations do not present an insurmountable obstacle to the Father. He did the impossible and overcame their human inadequacies. They were once again able to have children. And miracle of miracles, Isaac was born.

The Bible is replete with stories of the Father doing the impossible. Contemplate for a moment, why does He do this? The simple answer is to demonstrate that He is real and that He is actively involved in our lives.

It is incumbent upon each child of the King to learn to exercise faith and trust in His promises and provision. The assignments and tasks He gives us are intended to grow our faith and trust in Him. As we depend upon Him and follow His guidance, we find ourselves in the right place, at the right time, with the right attitude. The Father does the rest.

“At the age of 75, Abraham enrolled in the ‘School of Faith.’ Now he was over 100, and he was still having soul-stretching experiences. We are never too old to face new challenges, fight new battles, and learn new truths. When we stop learning, we stop growing; and when we stop growing, we stop living” (Wiersbe).

REFLECT & PRAY

“Life is difficult. Once we truly know that life is difficult – once we truly understand and accept it – then life is no longer difficult” (M. Scott Peck).

Father, I struggle to trust You. It is so easy to take matters into my own hands. Encourage me to remember that You have made provision for my needs and that You fulfill Your promises. I have re-enrolled in the School of Faith.

INSIGHT

In Genesis 22, Abraham is prepared to fully believe the Father’s promises no matter what. He has grown to maturity. He is walking by faith and will now demonstrate how real his faith is. This chapter is one of the rare and remarkable times when the Father enters the time-space continuum. He makes Himself visible to Abraham and interacts with him. Further, the Father sends His angel to prevent a horrendous tragedy.

The lesson of Genesis 22 is straightforward. The Lord will provide!

Genesis 22:8 “God will provide Himself a lamb for a burnt offering”

Genesis 22:14 Abraham named the place Yahweh-Yireh (which means “the LORD will provide”).

Yahweh-Yireh literally means “The Lord will see to it,” that is, “The Lord will provide” (Wiersbe).

In modern English, we have an analogous expression. When we make a promise, we simply say, “I’ll take care of it.” Regarding His provision, the Father says, “I’ll take care of it.” to each child of the King. How amazing! He’s got our back.

“In times of testing, it is easy to think only about our needs and our burdens; instead, we should be focusing on bringing glory to Jesus Christ. We find ourselves asking ‘How can I get out of this?’ Instead of ‘What can I get out of this that will honor the Lord?’ We sometimes waste our sufferings by neglecting or ignoring opportunities to reveal Jesus Christ to others who are watching us go through the furnace” (Wiersbe).

“The Lord will provide – always. He may surprise us, He may perplex us, He may make us wait. But He will always provide exactly what we need, when we need it” (Stanley).

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The essence of healthy life ∙

The essence of healthy life ∙

A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones. – Proverbs 14:30

Proverbs 14:29-30

29 He who is slow to anger has great understanding, but he who is quick-tempered exalts folly.

30 A tranquil heart is life to the body, but passion is rottenness to the bones.

The following words are not found in some preacher’s sermon. But they sound like they could be. Instead, they were written by the Staff of the Mayo Clinic.

“Who hasn’t been hurt by the actions or words of another? Perhaps a parent constantly criticized you growing up, a colleague sabotaged a project, or your partner had an affair. Or maybe you have had a traumatic experience, such as being physically or emotionally abused by someone close to you.”

“These wounds can leave you with lasting feelings of anger and bitterness – even vengeance.”

“But if you do not practice forgiveness, you might be the one who pays most dearly. By embracing forgiveness, you can also embrace peace, hope, gratitude, and joy. Consider how forgiveness can lead you down the path of physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being” (https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/in-depth/forgiveness/art-20047692).

Proverbs 14:30 explains the connection between our emotions and physical well-being. The heart, as used here, refers to one’s inner self, our immaterial nature. It embodies the three traditional personality functions: emotion, mind, and will. Thus “a heart at peace” is better rendered as “a healthy mind.”

When we harbor and nourish unrestrained negative emotions and uncontrolled feelings of resentment, the result can be dire physical consequences. “A healthy mind brings healing to the whole body. By contrast, uncontrolled passions can destroy the body as quickly as a deadly disease. The wise understood the human being holistically. Thoughts and feelings affect the physical state” (Dave Bland).

REFLECT & PRAY

Frustration and irritation are unavoidable realities of life. How we react to them is a choice.

Father I readily admit that too frequently, my emotions are out of control. Lead me into the deep and tranquil waters of a quiet and controlled spirit.

INSIGHT

King Solomon was renowned for his incredible wisdom. He was 3000 years ahead of modern psychology and medicine. In Proverbs 14:30, he beautifully captures in poetic language the connection between our emotions, our spirit, and our physical well-being.

Proverbs 17:22 A joyful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones.

The Hebrew word translated as good medicine is gehah. Gehah is found only here in the Old Testament. It connotes healing or a cure. The phrase could be translated, “A cheerful heart [that is, being cheerful, joyful] causes good healing,” “causes a sick person to recover,” “A cheerful heart hastens healing,” “A glad heart makes for good health,” and “A glad heart helps and heals.” Another way of expressing the line is, “If you are always happy, sickness will not spoil your life” (UBS).

But a downcast spirit dries up the bones: This line contrasts with the first and is similar in thought to Proverbs 14:30b. A downcast spirit translates the same Hebrew expression as used in Proverbs 15:13, where it is often rendered as “spirit is broken,” meaning “despair” or “discouragement.”

Bones, as part of the body in this text, represent the whole body. Dries up the bones contrasts with “makes for good healing” and means “to lose energy,” “go downhill in health,” or even “to die away,” that is, “to die slowly,” “makes the bones rot,” “It is slow death . . .” and “saps one’s strength.” We may render this line, for example, “but a despairing heart takes away a person’s strength” (UBS).

Proverbs 15:13 When the heart is sad, the spirit is broken.

The opposite of a joyful heart is a sad heart and has dreadful internal consequences for our human spirit.

“By sorrow of heart, the spirit is broken: This line contrasts with the first and asserts that sorrow depresses a person’s spirit. Sorrow of heart (literally “pain of the heart”) refers to the inner self in contrast to the outer appearance referred to in the previous line. This is psychological or emotional pain or injury, a state of sadness . . . We may say, for example, “but pain in the innermost being brings depression,” “sorrow of heart makes a person feel worthless,” or “if a person is feeling sad, his thinking falls down” (UBS).

Inward excitation, a resentful mind, which cares only for itself and gets worked up, is like bone cancer that rots the firmest components of the body and shortens a person’s life. Hot passion is rot in the bones, a condition that deteriorates to ruin and death (Waltke).

It may feel good (for a short while) to vent our anger at someone, but “the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God” (James 1:20). Failure to control a quick temper leads only to heartache (Stanley).

Proverbs 15:13 A joyful heart makes a cheerful face.

What is a joyful heart? The phrase could well be translated, “A glad heart makes a cheerful countenance: This line states that happiness expresses itself on a person’s face. It says literally, “A joyful heart makes good faces.” In some languages, this thought is expressed, “A happy person has a happy face,” “Happiness makes the eyes bright,” or “If a person is happy, everyone sees it in his face” (UBS).

Proverbs 18:14 The spirit of a man can endure his sickness, but as for a broken spirit, who can bear it?

This saying is closely connected in thought to Proverbs 15:13 and Proverbs 17:22.

Here the consequences of a broken spirit are the focus.

A man’s spirit will endure sickness. The term spirit can be loosely interpreted as “[your] will to live.” Thus a joyful spirit “can sustain you when you are sick,” it gives you the “desire to go on living” or “desire to stay alive.”

But when your spirit is broken, what are the possible consequences? A broken spirit is “a downcast spirit,” meaning “discouragement” or “despair.” We wind up carrying a tremendous burden or load that is almost unbearable. Many of us can identify with this. The burden is emotional depression, hopelessness, and misery.

Who can bear it? “Can anyone stand it?” “Who can bear up under it?” or “Who is able to carry on?” Without the Father, “No one can bear it.”

So we are left with two choices: to enter into depressing, negative, self-loathing, and despair, or forgive and get over it. Depending on the depth of pain, the amount of time required is variable. It is analogous to recovering from physical injury or surgery.

When someone you care about hurts you, you can hold on to anger, resentment, and thoughts of revenge – or embrace forgiveness and move forward (Mayo Clinic Staff).

Is the essence of a healthy life really that simple? Try it out yourself.

Our gracious heavenly Father has provided a way for inner healing for each child of the King.

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