Joy and Health

DEVOTION

PROVERBS

JOY AND HEALTH

Prov 15:30

30 A cheerful look brings joy to the heart, and good news gives health to the bones.

NIV

To live life with a good attitude is a great start to having a cheerful look. What we should consider, is to whose heart does our cheerful look bring joy. It would make sense that if we had a cheerful look it would come from having a cheerful heart, or a heart full of joy, so then we would not be the recipient of our cheerful look, but others would derive the benefit of having joy in their heart from our look. Yet we could also see that it is the good things of this earth, which God created for us which bring us a heart full of joy. In the original language it sort of could go both ways, as the light of our eyes bring the heart joy. It could be what we see with our eyes which brings us joy, or it could be the light others see in our eyes bring them joy. Both are a good thing and both are beneficial to everyone, just as good news gives health to the bones. It is known that a bad mental state can have an effect on the physical health of a person. It is also known, at least by God, that a good mental attitude can bring physical health to the body. Stress, worry, anxiety, bitterness, unforgiveness along with a host of other negative thoughts, or attitudes can bring about trouble to both the heart and the body of a person. These attitudes certainly interfere with a cheerful look and thus rule the condition of the heart which in turn rules the condition of the body. Simple truth in God should overcome all those negative attitudes, for we need to consider the ultimate good news which brings health to our bodies and that too should bring a very cheerful look that comes from a complete joy in our hearts. They are like the old saying, Love and marriage; you can’t have one without the other. Joy and health, you can’t have one without the other.