This is the final reflection in my series on the book of Proverbs. Though written thousands of years ago, these proverbs still have a timeliness and power today. My aim is to consider these maxims in the context of our current experience of living and working with family members. Thanks for your feedback and sharing this post with others. If you received this post from a friend, you can subscribe at the bottom.
For my last reflection on the book of Proverbs, and especially during this Christmas season, I offer this passage about the power of joy in our lives:
A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. (Prov. 17:22)
At some point in our families or family businesses, we’ve all experienced someone with a crushed spirit. Someone who has given up, someone who is angry at the world and everyone in it, someone who can’t let go of past wrongs, someone who only takes and never gives. It sucks the energy right out of the room.
But when we interact with a joyful person, the resulting sense of optimism, hope, and encouragement is contagious. Their joy influences not only how we feel about them, and how we interact with them, but also how we feel about ourselves. Surprisingly, some of those who have the most joyful hearts are people who have suffered the greatest tragedies, people who might be top-tier candidates for a crushed spirit. Yet here they are, ministering to us simply through their approach to people, to situations, to life. When our hearts are full of joy, we become medicine not only to others but to ourselves as well.
The Dutch theologian Henri Nouwen wrote, “Whatever we may think of or say about God, when we are not joyful, our thoughts and words cannot bear fruit. Jesus reveals to us God’s love so that his joy may become ours and that our joy may become complete.”
Who comes to mind when you think of a person with a joyful heart? What would help you have a more joyful heart in the months and years to come?
My next Faith & Family Business series will focus on the life of David. Thanks for your support and feedback throughout this past year. If you enjoyed Faith & Family Business, please encourage others to subscribe!