Healthy Choices
Photo image courtesy Pixabay
Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the LORD and depart from evil. It will be health to your flesh, And strength to your bones. -- Proverbs 3:7-8 (NKJV)
There are dozens of articles published daily that promote good health. We are encouraged to analyze our diets, scrutinize our exercise, and pursue all manner of methods to gain and maintain healthy bodies. Meditation and self-care foster sound mental health. Trends come and go, yet the Bible’s wisdom regarding our health is so simple, it is often overlooked.
A reverential fear of the Lord and deliberately turning away from sin carries a promise of health and wellness. However, many of us inadvertently sabotage our wellbeing through thoughtless acts that impact us more than we imagine. Gossip, envy, and careless words weaken us not only spiritually but physically as well. To fear the Lord’s displeasure and intentionally turn away from evil requires conscious effort on our part. What would happen if we applied the same resolve to rejecting sin as we do analyzing diets, counting calories, or watching the ads spamming our social media that promise better health?
Thankfully, the blueprint for a long healthy life is detailed in the Bible. Nearly every chapter in the book of Proverbs references behavior that promises life. A fear of the Lord, a sound heart, and a wholesome tongue are just a few assurances that promote the abundant life God desires for us. In addition, life implies vigor, energy, and spirit which are attributes of vibrant lives. In contrast, the book of Proverbs also details things that lead to death. Hope deferred makes the heart sick, envy rots the bones, and perverseness of the tongue breaks the spirit.
Healthy bodies are rarely achieved randomly. A healthy mind takes even more work. Deliberate choices concerning diet, exercise, thoughts, and sleep produce bodies that serve us so we can serve others. Likewise, diligence in our spiritual lives—the things we do and say measured against scripture—benefit us mentally, and physically. When we choose to do better, we eventually live better--energized by the Spirit, increasingly productive, and able to nurture the people in our lives.
If you have tried everything else in the pursuit of a healthier life, try God. His word is true. Obedience and deference to the Lord will produce a healthier you.
Questions for Reflection:
1. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal changes that you can make for a healthier life. Start with one at a time.
2. Do your words manifest life or death?
