The Best Medicine

A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity. One who lacks sense gives a pledge and puts up security in the presence of his neighbor. Whoever loves transgression loves strife; he who makes his door high seeks destruction. A man of crooked heart does not discover good, and one with a dishonest tongue falls into calamity. He who sires a fool gets himself sorrow, and the father of a fool has no joy. A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. (Proverbs 17:17-22 ESV). I have discovered that the more medicine I take, the more I need. Some of the prescriptions I use each day are only necessary to counteract the possible side effects of the others. If I didn’t need the blood thinners, I wouldn’t need the antacids; and, if I didn’t need the anti inflammatories, I wouldn’t need the antacids, that are necessary because of the blood thinners, which are necessary because of the beta blockers. Well, you get the idea. It’s a never ending cycle, like a dog chasing his tail. I suppose that thought brings me to today’s reading. The Wisdom says, A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. Laughter is just good for you! I’ve often been questioned when I talk about the laughter of Jesus. Most of the time I simply remark that he must have laughed a lot since he sure made it easy for me to do so. God intends for us to laugh. So laugh a lot. You’ll feel better and make others feel better too. I honestly can’t remember when I started looking old. I do know that when Mary and I are together we get a lot of stares. I used to think that was because we simply dressed well, or people may have noticed some special little kindness between us. That long ago was proven not to be the case. The truth is that people wonder what such a young woman is doing with such an old man. I always go buy the tickets to places since there’s never a question of whether I get the “senior discount.” If it weren’t so true I suppose I would be offended. So, I’ve learned that when you don’t know whether to laugh or cry, laugh. It always turns our better. Some years ago, I was visiting an elderly member of the church. She had cared for her husband, suffering from Alzheimers, for five years until his death. In depressing times laughter helped her. She had fallen ill herself but her lively sense of humor remained, as a story she told us illustrated. “One day I was getting out of the shower. My husband looked at me and said, ‘Wow! What church do you go to?’ I told him, ‘I go to the Baptist church.’ He responded, ‘That’s the church where I’m going to go too!’” We all laughed together. Laughter, maybe not the only medicine, but it’s a good one. Find something to laugh at today. You’ll feel better.