Jump Start # 1707

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

  What a great verse today. Joy…merry…happiness…laughter…fun—those things are good for us. Sit around a group of children and you’ll quickly notice that they like to smile and laugh. Children laugh a lot more in a day than adults. We have so many things that takes the smile out of our souls. Bills, stress, economy, jobs, worry, sin, disappointments, toxic relationships are just a few. Then too often we gather at church and we get a double dose of guilt. Any time the preacher mentions the subject of marriage or parenting, we groan. We know that we need to hear what is said, but we also know that we feel like we are not doing a good job. The world tends to laugh at the wrong things. It laughs at sin and the failures of others. Sitcoms have been doing that for years.

Let’s consider the contrast found in this verse, the joyful heart compared to the broken spirit.

First, there is a time for the broken spirit. David reminded us that a broken and contrite heart God will not despise. When Jesus began the beatitudes with “Blessed are the poor in spirit…” this has nothing to do with bank accounts but everything to do with a broken spirit. Spiritually bankrupt is what Jesus meant. The broken spirit is what will lead a person to change. It will lead them to Christ. The weary and heavy laded are those who are broken by sin. In Christ they find forgiveness. In Christ, there is hope and rest.

The broken spirit has a place, but we shouldn’t expect to live on that street for the rest of our lives. Some do. They are miserable. It shows in their face. They haven’t smiled in a long time. They’d quickly tell you that there isn’t much to smile about these days. The miserable have a way of making everyone else miserable. Sometimes special retreats for ladies and classes for ladies turn into crying sessions. I guess some like that. I suppose there is some therapy in that. It’d be nice once in a while to have a joyful session. The joyful heart is good medicine.

Second, the joyful heart is not one that has found an oasis free from trouble and problems. There is no such place. You’ll never enter a town that declares “This is a trouble free town.” No such place exists on earth. So, one is joyful in a world that is often sad and unhappy. The joyful heart is a choice. My late friend, Barbara Johnson wrote in many of her books, “Pain is inevitable, but misery is optional.” That’s it exactly! Misery or joy—my choice.

Now, how does one have a joyful heart, especially when there is so many things surrounding us that ought to make us miserable? You understand that you can’t change others. Our presidential campaign is nuts to put it mildly. A person can get so caught up in watching the news and every wicked comment one says about the other that he becomes miserable. You can’t change them. You can’t change the weather. You can’t change your grown kids. Joy in my heart is something that I can do something about.

Realize what you feed yourself will be manifested in your heart. A steady diet of bad news will turn your heart sour. So, feed your soul with good news. The best news is God’s word, the Bible. Surround yourself around cheerful people. Watch shows that lift your spirits. Listen to music that puts you in a good mood. Go to worship. Find a way to unwind when you feel yourself becoming sour.

Lately, I’ve been watching some old episodes of the Three Stooges, especially Curley. He makes me smile. After a long day, often dealing with things that are not good, I like to watch some Curley. He puts a smile on my heart and joy in my spirit. Do you have something like that? If not, find it. This will help you.

Our passage tells us something about the joyful heart. The writer tells us that it is good medicine. It is just the opposite of drying up the bones. Good medicine. The joyful heart is all that some of us need. Maybe instead of so many pills, we ought to watch some Stooges. Maybe we ought to get on the floor with our grandkids and be a kid again. I don’t know who likes playing more, me or the grandkids. I know the day will come when they will outgrow sitting on the floor and playing, but it sure does me a bunch of good. Those sweet faces and bright eyes are the best thing for one’s soul. Even when we were at Disney a few weeks ago, my little two-year-old granddaughter asked me if we could go ride bikes. She had no clue where we were. But here in the middle of the Magic Kingdom, she wanted to go play with PJ (that’s me).

Your drive home from work ought to be an outlet to detox from all the strain at work. Come home with a smile on your face to meet your family. Leave your work at work. Go shoot some hoops with your boys. Have a tea party with your daughter. Play hide and seek for a while. The world has a way of escaping when we do that.

And since we are on this, let’s smile more in church services. Please, we are not at a funeral. What better place to smile. We are with the people of God. We are going to sing and pray and open His word. What a great place to be. Something isn’t right when we leave services more beat up than when we came. Encouragement is oxygen to our souls. We need that. Sunday ought to be the best day of the week for us.

I know some doctors. They are great at what they do. I’d love if one of them took out his prescription pad and wrote on there, “Go watch Three Stooges.” Maybe if the world did this more, along with having some cookies in the afternoon, we’d be better people. Worry, fear, doubt, stress—they can crush your spirit. They can take your health. They can shorten your life. They change the expression of your face.

The story is told of an advisor suggesting to the newly elected President Abraham Lincoln a certain man for a cabinet post. Lincoln is said to have responded, “I don’t like the look of his face.” The advisor was shocked and said that wasn’t nice. He couldn’t help the way he looked. Lincoln said, “Everyone over the age of 40 is responsible for the way he looks.” Joyful or broken spirit? Our choice.

Does your face show hope? Do you look like one who is heading toward Heaven? Or, does your face show doubt and despair?

The joyful heart…maybe that’s what you need to find again.

Roger