Proverbs 3:8
"It will be healing to your body and refreshment to your bones"
The word healing in the Hebrew means remedy, healing, or health. Each of these is interesting in the context of this verse. The one who is afraid of offending the Lord – and that motivates them to turn away from what God labels evil – has the remedy for many physical ills; has a way to heal a number of physical problems; has the way to stay healthy. We don't tend to think this way in our culture. But it is a proper way to think. Much of the illness and physical ailments that destroy our body are self-inflicted through evil.
Think of all the ills that come from self-inflicted forms of murder: drugs, smoking, drunkenness, etc.
Think of the diseases that come from adultery and its various deviant forms of perversion.
An actual literal translation of this verse is health will come to your navel. The Hebrews, and this part of the world, saw the navel as the center of life and the beginning of independent life -- the beginning of independent strength. It was the place where the umbilical cord was attached from our mothers and when that cord was severed, we began our independent existence. It was then that we began to gain strength and move independently. Therefore healing to the navel meant growing strength at the center of our life and independent strength which was to be employed to do the right thing.
and refreshment to your bones
The word refreshment is the Hebrew word shiqquwy which has been translated as marrow or drink or refreshment. Clearly, when connected to the bones, it is the marrow that resupplies the strength to the bones. The marrow actually rebuilds and renews life to the bones.
The Proverbs are saying that there is a body-soul connection. The actions and reactions of your soul can damage your body and can determine how well your body ages and handles the stress of life. There are numerous studies which show the connection: stress and ulcers; anxiety and physical ailments; mental and emotional connection with irritable bowel syndrome. In fact, in new studies of twins, they are suggesting that lifestyle choices determine as much as 80% of the longevity of people rather than genes.
Until tomorrow,
Gil Stieglitz