Kind words and health
Last time on Choosing Peace, we started exploring mirror verses—important truths featured in both the Old Testament and the New Testament. We looked at: (1) God working things for our good, (2) God being for us, (3) the Lord as our shepherd, and (4) rest for our souls. Today we’ll dig into another set of mirror verses.
Get ready to read about food labels, The Promised Land, and mosquito bites.
Kind words
Our fifth set of mirror verses literally fell in my lap at work last week. How sweet is that? Father Daniel emailed me this segment for our weekly email. It starts with a quote from one of my favorite philosophers, Blaise Pascal.
Kind words do not cost much. They never blister the tongue or lips. They make other people good-natured. They also produce their own image on men’s souls, and a beautiful image it is.
~ Blaise Pascal
I am reminded of Paul’s words in Colossians 4:6, “Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person,” as well as Proverbs 16:24, “Gracious words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body.”
~ Father Daniel
The common word in the Old Testament verse, Proverbs 16:24, and the New Testament mirror verse, Colossians 4:6, is the word gracious. Scroll down on this Dictionary.com page for the Word History and Origins of gracious—first recorded in the Middle Ages. You’ll find the word kindness, as well as the word grace plus the ending -ous.
Salt and honey
Both the Old Testament verse from Proverbs and its New Testament mirror verse speak to our physical bodies.
The salt mentioned in Colossians 4:6 pleases us in our food and has also served as a vital, life-sustaining food preservative. But salt is much more than a flavoring or a seemingly-outdated preservative. Salt is essential for our health. The sodium in salt regulates the fluid balance in our bodies and much more. When we’ve worked extremely hard physically, we’re rejuvenated by food or drinks that contain salt. That’s why we find salt in sport drinks like Gatorade. See this interesting article for the ways God provides salt—an essential mineral—for wild animals. While the author doesn’t give God the glory for his provision, we know the truth. Every good gift is from God.
In his letter to the Colossians, the Apostle Paul compared gracious words to salt, which is essential for our bodies. In the book of Proverbs, King Solomon compared gracious words with honey and sweetness.
Our Old Testament verse also mentions “health to the body.” God gives us naturally-occurring foods and drinks for our good. We may not think of honey as health food, but we should. Read this article: “Everything to Know About the Health Benefits of Honey.” I mentioned the article to Brandon at our kitchen table, and he told me about honey’s healing properties for wounds, burns and more. Who knew? For thousands of years, honey has been used to heal people in so many ways—from a cough suppressant to wound healing—and it also supports heart and brain health. Long before we’d ever heard words like antioxidant, people used honey for healing. They just knew it worked. See this article: “8 Natural Ways to Use Honey as a Holistic Remedy.”
Engineered food vs. God’s goodness
Many modern food scientists and processed food gurus would have us believe that salt and sugars like honey are bad for us. What we need to acknowledge is the chemicals they add to the mix—and why they do it. Watch the documentary Food, Inc. for a major wake-up call.
Wicked people have engineered foods and drinks
for our destruction and pharmaceutical dependence.
What God gave us is good.
Seek organic and healthy food options. Read food labels. If you haven’t watched Food, Inc., I can’t over-assert its importance. You’ll learn what to look for in food labeling and why. Yes, you’ll be shocked by the greed, filth and evil of what is being done to our food supply. But we must know the truth so we can live and eat wisely. Good food can heal us.
God repeatedly described The Promised Land—a gift to his people—as “a land flowing with milk and honey.” If milk and honey were innately bad for us, God would not have used them to describe the health and goodness of the land he was providing. Let me say it again. What God gave us is good.
Cereal vs. steak
Speaking of good food, have I mentioned how much I like steak? I really do. Last night our classic car club was meeting for dinner at a steak place 45 minutes away. After work, Brandon asked me if I wanted to go. I was totally whooped, and had just battled 30 minutes in heavy traffic. Frankie Ann’s sassy reply? “I’d rather eat cereal at home than steak across town.” That sounds like a good title for a country song, doesn’t it? Anyway, Brandon totally understood. We ended up eating a very early dinner at a restaurant close-by.
God is great! God is good! Let us thank him for our food. Amen.
Pharmaceuticals vs. God’s goodness
The other day, Brandon and I came inside from our back yard. The mosquitos had feasted on him and he was scratching a couple spots feverishly. He was trying to decide what to do about it, and I told him I had a solution. I reached for my “stuff” bag near the couch, tipped my lemongrass essential oil bottle onto my finger and placed a drop of oil directly on his mosquito bites. He was absolutely shocked that the itch went away immediately. I told him that God gave us what we need in his remarkable creation. We’ve been convinced all our lives that we need some sort of medicine, prescription or drug to “fix” what ails us.
God gave us diverse plants with healing properties.
From part 4 of The Gift of the Bible, published last December:
MAHA and RFK
Watch this recent Liz Wheeler podcast about MAHA—Make America Healthy Again, which is highly sought after and eagerly anticipated, especially with Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. nominated by president-elect Trump as the future Secretary of Health and Human Services. Liz Wheeler’s phenomenal food and health Wish List at the end of the podcast states what every MAHA citizen desires—MAHA peeps being the non-globalístas.
Here are some important takeaways from this must-see podcast. Did you know that 10,000 chemicals found in U.S. foods have been banned in Europe? Did you know that some U.S. food coloring is made from crude oil? Did you know that 80% of pediatrician revenues come from vaccine appointments? Did you know that Big Pharma wrote Stanford Medical School’s curriculum, and their dean was an opioid specialist? Are your eyes bugging out? Mine sure were. Watch the whole podcast for much more.
Answers from the 1800s
One of the books recommended in my Resources section provides surprising 1800s healing remedies. From this post in the Forgiving series:
I hope you’ll read When I Was a Slave: Memoirs from the Slave Narrative Collection edited by Norman R. Yetman. Former slaves were interviewed in the 1930s, with 34 of the interviews chosen for this collection.
You’ll learn about the hardships, victories and daily living of these former slaves; their remarkable resilience and physical strength; their health, fertility and longevity; and their Christian devotion. While the purpose of this collection of interviews wasn’t to teach modern-day people about healthy, God-given remedies, you’ll be amazed at their vast knowledge in this area—what tree bark, when made into a tea, heals stomach ailments—and much more. See part 1, part 2 and part 3 of Tearing Down the Barriers to Forgiving to read about some of these former slaves. Also, explore part 4 of The Gift of the Bible for information about pharmaceuticals and pesticides.
Alternatives
You may be thinking, But you don’t know about my thus-and-so condition. Indeed, I don’t. But Dr. Peter McCullough does. He is a holistic health expert who sees patients in the Dallas-Ft. Worth area, including a friend of mine. He also serves patients nationwide via telehealth. If Dr. McCullough’s name sounds familiar, that’s because he’s gone toe-to-toe with Big Pharma, has testified before Congress, and fought on the front lines against vaccine mandates and for effective, safe treatment protocols for COVID-19. (See the videos on this page and elsewhere.)
My friend Cynthia, who successfully battled leukemia and is healthy and vibrant, sees Dr. Rodney Russell at the National Healing Center in Grapevine, Texas. Before her first exam, Dr. Russell prayed over her in the name of Jesus and asked the Lord to show him what he needed to see.
Peaceful Readers, we have choices.
Believe me when I say it: What God gives us is good.
The bottom line
Drink in the depth of another quote from Blaise Pascal. From part 12 of A Year in the Life:
Paul’s life was brutally hard and gloriously beautiful. What’s one of the many things Paul learned? To be content no matter what. And Paul understood the key: “God, it isn’t about me. It’s all about you.”
Devotion
This quote from French mathematician, Christian, philosopher and writer Blaise Pascal captures that truth.
I ask you neither for health nor for sickness, for life nor for death; but that you may dispose of my health and my sickness, my life and my death, for your glory…. You alone know what is expedient for me; you are the sovereign master, do with me according to your will. Give to me, or take away from me, only conform my will to yours. I know but one thing, Lord, that it is good to follow you, and bad to offend you. Apart from that, I know not what is good or bad in anything. I know not which is most profitable to me, health or sickness, wealth or poverty, nor anything else in the world. That discernment is beyond the power of men or angels, and is hidden among the secrets of your providence, which I adore, but do not seek to fathom.
― Blaise Pascal
Ask the Lord what he would have you do—in all things.
Kind words and health
Why does God equate kind words with essential and pleasing foods? “Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt…” and “Gracious words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body” ~ Colossians 4:6a and Proverbs 16:24.
How do kind, gracious words contribute to our sustenance and health? Let’s start to unpack the answer.
Spiritual health
First, let’s look at health from a spiritual vantage-point. When we’re spiritually healthy, we’re seeing God and ourselves rightly, and we’re waging war against our own sin. In other words, we’re agreeing with God about what pleases him and what is sinful, and we’re obeying him. We’re grounded in the truth and we take sin seriously.
Sin’s impact on physical health
Every sin begins with a lie, and lies are bad for us. (Dig into this post for more.) In addition to enslaving and misleading us, sin impacts our physical health. How do addictions impact our health? Food and alcohol addictions? Chemical/pharmaceutical dependence (without exploring holistic alternatives)? Drug addictions? Gambling addictions? Screen addictions? How do addictions and unhealthy distractions impact our sleep?
What about pornography addiction? From the Grieving series: “By substituting a depraved counterfeit for the beautiful truth, by substituting a two-dimensional picture/video for flesh and blood, by substituting a stranger for a spouse, pornography is The Thief of True Intimacy.” Read part 8 of Grieving Divorce for more. Long story short—pornography destroys people physically, psychologically and relationally. It is very serious.
Asking the hard questions
We may think our “less serious” sins don’t impact our health, but we should ask God about it.
How does my selfishness affect my health and relationships? How does my laziness affect my health and relationships? How does my workaholic pace—I mean performance-based identity—affect my health and relationships? How does my bad attitude affect my health and relationships? How does my gossip affect my health and relationships? How does my fear affect my health and relationships? How does my anger affect my health and relationships? How does my pride affect my health and relationships? Etcetera.
That part may not have been fun, but I hope it was helpful. Personally, I’m scrunching up my mouth and rolling my eyes. Ugh. (Guilty as charged.)
The connection
What’s my point here?
Sin is unhealthy—all the time.
We like to pretend our sin is unrelated to our health, but that’s a lie. My mind, body and spirit are intricately connected—all the time. Sin destroys.
Building us up
God gives us life abundantly. God’s good gifts build us up. Good food. Good water. Good salt. Good sugar. Good air. Good relationships. Good words.
Kind, truthful words
Kind words do not lie. They do not exaggerate. They do not flatter. They do not manipulate. Kind words are a free, honorable, honest gift.
Lies destroy. Truth builds.
What kind words do for us
1. Kind words enlighten us.
2. Kind words accentuate hidden or forgotten truths.
3. Kind words bring forth other virtues like courage and wisdom.
4. Kind words are good for us.
5. Kind words lift us when we’re low.
Your turn
We can all remember a time when someone’s kind words turned our day around—from low to hopeful, from discouraged to encouraged, from down to up. Get out your journal or a piece of paper and reflect on some of these times in your life. Who spoke kind words to you? How did his or her words change your day, your outlook, your perception? Your life?
Next, consider when you spoke kind words to someone else that likely impacted that person in the same way. Did the Holy Spirit inspire your words? If so, will you thank him?
Kindness—salty and sweet
Brandon and I received life-giving kind words last Thursday. We experienced a difficult week because of an injury, with a visit to the ER for Brandon’s stitches, plus poor sleep due to the physical pain, etc. We were absolutely exhausted. After praying for us and texting me a Tigger hug, my dear friend Meagan wrote, “I want to bring you guys dinner. Can your tummies handle bbq brisket?” I replied, “That would be heavenly!” And here’s the thing. Meagan’s offer communicated deeper truths—more than “I want to bless you.” Her offer communicated, “I love you. I care about you. I’m here for you.” Her words before and during her visit blessed us deeply—in mind, body and spirit.
Meagan also blessed us with hearty, delicious food that was salty and sweet. Her kindness strengthened us and showed us the goodness of God. The Holy Spirit was in all of it. Guess what Meagan brought us for dessert? A piece of chocolate cake and a piece of lemon cake. I’ve written about chocolate a bajillion times, but guess what? My new favorite cake flavor is lemon. Meagan didn’t know that, but the Holy Spirit did. What a sweet gift and A Kiss On The Head from Jesus.
From words to health
Let me ask this question again: How do kind words contribute to our sustenance and health? Kind words lift us when we’re low. In that way, they help to sustain us; they help us persevere.
Kind words are truthful and helpful. Kind words help us think rightly. When we’re thinking rightly, we’re much more likely to act or choose rightly—which can build our faith and reliance on God. Kind words can help us think about God, agree with God, and give thanks to God.
Surprisingly, kind words can help us reject sin and choose God’s way,
which helps to sustain us and builds our health—in mind, body and spirit.
(When kind, truthful, honorable words are spoken, we can choose to receive them or not. A word to the wise: Receive.)
Here’s a recent example from my life.
The injuries and the answer
A lifetime of injuries—a boat mast falling on my back and arm; a hard fall on a stone floor, with all my weight falling on my elbow and forearm; numerous injuries while working with special needs children; and many more—finally caught up with me. Arthritis. Pain. Difficulty walking at times. Very weak legs.
Twice each month, massage therapist Vanessa Gonzales comes to our house and gives me a rehab-level massage. These massages help me greatly. I’ve stopped seeing my chiropractor. Vanessa’s massages are the ticket. She’s also a warm Christian lady.
Jumping from problem to solution
Last month, I told Vanessa about an incident that gave me trouble. I jumped out of our boat onto the dock and the jolt really hurt my joints. I paid for that jump for days. She told me to start doing jumping jacks because they’ll build the muscles around my joints. Who knew? Now I do some jumping jacks almost every day. My form or technique is sloppy and goofy, but perfection is not the point. Have my hands ever actually touched each other above my head? I think not. Again, that’s okay. My coordination or lack thereof is not the point. Jumping is the point.
What does this example teach us about kind, helpful words? First, I had to drop my pride and admit that I had a problem—an essential step toward various types of healing/health. Next, I had to admit my problem to the right person—someone who could actually help me. Third, I had to take her advice. I knew Vanessa’s recommendation was truthful and sound, so I acted on it. I’m feeling better.
It will take many, many months to rebuild the muscles in my legs that I allowed to vanish from disuse. To become stronger, I must take one step—or jump—at a time, even when it hurts. The Lord is my helper.
Glory
I learned important things from Blaise Pascal in the quote above (in the Devotion section). If the Lord sees fit to strengthen me, I will give him the glory. If he chooses instead to humble me in weakness, I will give him the glory. If he gives me a combination of both, I will give him the glory.
I know that our bodies deteriorate over time and we don’t live in them forever. Also, if we live long enough, our minds can deteriorate as well. As we age and decline, we learn to rely more on God and we think about our future in heaven, where nothing decays or deteriorates. We know Life Evermore awaits us in glory. And we eagerly await the joy of seeing our Savior Jesus face-to-face.
If you missed it, see the section called The Transmitting and Declaring of Generational Blessings in this recent post. It includes the greatest blessings, and my new mom, Kathleen, going to heaven.
The beautiful image
I’m reminded of the shorter quote from Blaise Pascal that Father Daniel emailed to me. “Kind words… produce their own image on men’s souls, and a beautiful image it is.” What a glorious, eloquent sentiment. And King Solomon—God’s chosen writer of Proverbs—agreed, calling gracious words “sweetness to the soul.” Why did Blaise Pascal and King Solomon both use the word soul? How do kind words affect our souls? Since kind words are truthful and can be very encouraging, they can change us.
Kind words can help us see ourselves as God sees us.
Soul challenges
Sometimes we can be hard on ourselves. We can focus on our mistakes. The devil likes it when we do that. He’s called The Accuser of the Brethren. Sometimes it’s hard for us to forgive ourselves. I understand that. Sometimes it’s hard for us to forgive others. See the Forgiving series, especially What Forgiving Is and Isn’t.
It’s easy to focus on our weaknesses and problems—or to glide to the other extreme and ignore them altogether. It can be hard to lay down old ways of thinking and living—like choosing jumping jacks instead of sitting down.
Seeing ourselves as God sees us
Likewise, it can be hard for us to see ourselves rightly—as God sees us.
How does God see us? His children? His chosen ones? I hope the truths below will encourage you today and in the days ahead. (If you haven’t given your heart to Jesus yet, read the Thanksgiving posts and read about Why Jesus Died in this post.)
God’s children—permanently
Children of God—John 1:12-13
Our inheritance—Ephesians 1:13-14
Given to Jesus by Almighty God—John 6:37-40
Seeing my identity as A Child of God gives me the ultimate security.
God’s nature—how he treats his children
From Psalm 103
Forgiver and healer (verse 3)
Redeemer, full of love and mercy (verse 4)
The one who satisfies and strengthens us (verse 5)
The one who achieves justice when we are oppressed (verse 6)
The one who shows us who he is (verse 7)
Merciful, gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love (verse 8)
Steadfast love for us (verses 8, 11 and 17)
Forgiver—fully removing our transgressions (verses 10 and 12)
Compassionate father (verses 13-14)
All-powerful ruler (verse 19)
Acknowledging God’s nature reminds me of how much he loves me.
God’s mighty and compassionate protection of his children
Seeing God’s powerful hand in my life shows me his constant care and presence.
Forgiven, cleansed, perfected, transformed by the blood of Christ
Completely forgiven—Colossians 2:13-14
Made perfect in God’s eyes; being sanctified/transformed—Hebrews 10:14
A new creation—2 Corinthians 5:17
Righteousness of God—2 Corinthians 5:21
Cleansed from sin—1 John 1:7-9
Free from condemnation—Romans 8:1
I’m wearing the white robe of righteousness that Jesus bought for me with his blood! I’m forgiven, clean and made holy because I belong to Jesus. I’m righteous in God’s eyes.
Drink in this powerful passage about a vision the Lord gave to his prophet Zechariah.
Kindness plays a key role in salvation. Remember, God’s kindness is meant to bring us to repentance, which leads us to Jesus. Thank you, Lord, for your abundant kindness to me.
Recap
What did I learn about kind words this month? Kind words help us think rightly, so they help us reject sin and choose God’s way, which helps to sustain us and builds our health—in mind, body and spirit. Kind words change us. Kind words paint a beautiful image on our souls—helping us see ourselves as God sees us.
Peaceful Reader, will you sow kind, gracious, truthful words in the hearts and souls of others for the rest of your life? Share the love, peace and truth of Jesus Christ.Coming next: We’ll explore more Old Testament gems and their New Testament mirror verses—God’s purpose, light, fruit…. Or maybe something else altogether. I leave it all in the Holy Spirit’s wise hands.
Until next time, thanks for reading and for Choosing Peace.
Truth from The Word: John 17:3
Song: “We Are Yours Forever” by Sovereign Grace Music
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