My son, pay attention to what I say; listen closely to my words. Do not let them out of your sight; keep them within your heart; for they are life to those who find them and health to a man’s whole body (Proverbs 4:20-22 NIV).
Today we learn that wise counsel impinges on all areas of our lives. The way one thinks determines how they behave and that then has a massive impact on their physical and emotional wellbeing. So the sage encourages his children to listen closely to all of his words and to keep to them close to his heart.
Many people have lost their lives because of stubbornness. This is the inability to follow simple instructions. Many relationships have broken down because of the inability of the participants to listen to wise counsel. And many people have suffered physical defects because they chose to disregard the counsel of interested counsellors. In sports there are in-build precautions to try to prevent injury to sportsmen and women. For example, in formula one, when the weather is foul they have a safety car which drives in front. When a footballer is injured they are withdrawn from the game. These actions are taken to preserve lives and extend careers.
Today we are encouraged to pay close attention to words of wisdom as they ensure that our physical, emotional and physical wellbeing are preserved.
We are physical, emotional and spiritual beings, and one state cannot be separated from the other, they are all interconnected. So what we think affects how we feel and what we eat affects how we relate to our creator. Remember that our bodies are the temple that houses the Holy Spirit, when we receive him. Therefore the onus is on us to maintain our bodies in a healthy manner.
Read proverbs 4
