Day 38 Wise Medicine | Proverbs 4:20-22

Wise Medicine

Wise words are like medicine. They benefit every part of our bodies.

Verses 20-22

20. My child, pay attention to what I say. Listen carefully to my words.

21. Don’t lose sight of them. Let them penetrate deep into your heart,

22. for they bring life to those who find them, and healing to their whole body.

These verses show us the subject of this passage. Each chapter of Proverbs 1-7 begins in a similar style. Here the subject is health. Wisdom is like a medicine, because wisdom improves our lives. Unlike a medicine, wisdom does not heal our bodies. Wisdom heals our spirits. Wisdom leads us to God.

"Wisdom" in this book refers to an ability to act according to godly knowledge. Wise Medicine.The most important expression of this is in how someone reacts to the gospel of salvation through Christ. Those who receive instruction about the gospel and  ond positively by trusting in Christ as Savior receive eternal life. First John 5:12 declares, "Whoever has the Son has life." In 2 Timothy 1:10 Paul wrote that Christ "abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel." When a person believes in Jesus, he passes from spiritual death to spiritual life; and when he dies physically, he enters heaven, where he is immortal and incapable of dying.

Asking someone to "incline [their] ear" brings up the image of someone leaning forward, tipping their head to hear more clearly, it's wise medicine. The point is that these words are not to be passively taken in, but actively and carefully considered. Simply hearing wise counsel is inadequate unless the listener pays close attention to it. This corresponds to many other verses in Proverbs which encourage valuing godly wisdom.

Jesus cautioned, "Pay attention to what you hear" (Mark 4:24). He had concluded a discourse about the kinds of soil on which seed fell. The seed that fell along a path represents the Word that Satan quickly removes (Mark 4:15). The seed sown on rocky ground represents the Word that hearers receive joyfully but discard when persecution strikes them (Mark 4:16–17). The seed sown among thorns represents the Word that others receive until worldly concerns, the deceitfulness of riches, and materialistic desires choke it (Mark 4:18–19). The seed that fell on good soil represents the Word that hearers accept and show how well they accept it by bearing fruit in their lives. (Mark 4:20). It is important, therefore, to welcome God's Word with open ears and an open heart.

The prior verse evoked the image of someone leaning their head forward, turning to hear carefully. This verse continues that theme with an expression that's understood in many cultures and languages: "don't let this out of your sight." This implies something valuable, or easily missed, or both. Given that godly wisdom is worth more than anything else (Proverbs 3:13–15), it's worth paying close attention to. It's something to be cherished, not tolerated.

Believers ought to give more than mental assent to God's Word. We must lodge it in the heart and love it. Psalm 119:11 says, "I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you." The same psalmist also declared: "Oh how I love your law! It is my meditation all the day" (Psalm 119:97). If we love God's Word, we will mull it over in our thoughts throughout the day, applying it to each situation that arises.

Furthermore, the wise medicine of our heart must welcome the Word of God just as a homeowner welcomes a dear friend inside. Paul exhorted the Colossian believers: "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly" (Colossians 3:16). The word "dwell" means to live at home as a permanent resident.

This verse continues to refer to the wise words Solomon is explaining to his son (Proverbs 4:20). As a general rule, vibrant life and good health escape those who violate God's Word. Machines often come with instruction manuals, which detail what the product is or is not designed to do. Those manuals also explain the right way to maintain that equipment. Just as the designer of a machine knows the best way to keep it in good condition, so too does the Designer of mankind know the best way for us to live. Accidents and incidents still occur, but common sense tells us that following "the plan" is the way to avoid unnecessary disaster.

In 1 Timothy 5:6, Paul wrote that the self-indulgent widow "is dead even while she lives." When the wicked choose to go their own way and indulge their sinful passions, their choice does not lead to an enjoyable life or a happy ending. Proverbs 14:12 explains how may think they are following the right path through life, but it leads to death.

The promise of health given here isn't meant to be a magical talisman. But whoever loves and obeys God's Word follows a much healthier lifestyle than those who defy Him. Paul, for instance, wrote that he refused to harm his body because it is the temple of the Holy Spirit, and he wanted to glorify God (1 Corinthians 6:19–20).

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