a merry heart...

 


Proverbs 17:22 A merry heart does good, like medicine,
But a broken spirit dries the bones.

 

"A merry heart doeth good like a medicine; but a broken spirit drieth the bones."

 

I discovered this little verse while preparing to give a talk to the women of my association in metro-Peoria, IL not long after my car accident. It quickly became my favorite Bible verse and has served as a constant reminder to me. It's a verse I easily remembered and I'm not very good at memorization... I like to blame it on the wreck -- You know, my brain just isn't what it used to be after bouncing around like a human crash dummy.

 

There are lots of saying that teach us this basic idea. When life gives you lemons, make lemonade... It's not what happens to a man, but how he handles it that matters... Today is the first day of the rest of your life... You probably know others.

 

Feeling defeated doesn't take much effort. We can always find a reason. The car is broken... The house is a mess... The kids are misbehaving... The boss is a beast....

 

Developing a positive attitude requires a little attention, but it is said that optimistic people take better care of themselves and live longer. With a merry heart, you can look beyond the problem and find hope for the future in everyone and everything.  What did a pessimist ever do to make the world a better place?

 

Now, my first hand research has proven that when I have a merry heart I look better and feel better. When I am in a bad mood and I look in the mirror, I don't like what I see!  If pessimism takes over your life, it becomes a failure. Your hope fails and everything feels unreachable. Success fails you because you see no reason to try. Nothing matters because it feels like everyone is against you. Your life does not make a difference.

 

On the other hand, when your heart is merry, the world is a remarkable place filled with joy. You notice the glorious sunrises and sunsets, the beauty in the flowers, the peaceful sound of a summer rain.... It's your choice, would you rather have a merry heart or dry bones? No one is perfect and we all have bad days, but this Proverb sets the standard!