Two more aspects of wealth surfaced in my mind since the last post. We are describing wealth as anything that we can use or exchange. I confess that this is a transactional view on life, but I don’t apologize for it as it is the reality we live in. We will tackle health and soundness of mind today.

This challenge is being done in honor of my son James who is in Marine Corps bootcamp. The Lord challenged me that it would be a betrayal for him to undergo a complete transformation within 90 days only to come home to the same mother he left 90 days prior. Wowzer! So, I accepted the challenge and extended it.  I never thought I’d see a day when I received a letter from James. Yesterday’s letter was the 4th. These missives thrill me to the core.

Yesterday’s letter had a different undertone. He said he had to have his wisdom teeth removed a few days ago. This left him bored and frustrated as he had to rest. Then he said, “I’m ready to be done with this so I can come home.” I cocked my head and furrowed my brow at that and my heart sunk a little. Let’s look at it through the lens of wealth of health and soundness of mind.

1. Health

Ralph Waldo Emerson said that “The first wealth is health.” Virgil said that health is the greatest wealth. Anne Wilson Schael said that health is not something we can buy but called it “an extremely valuable savings account.” Ill health causes us to feel poorly. When our body is not

functioning at its best, we are compromised on many levels and have to pull over on the side of the road. Ideally this happens for a short stint whereby our amazing bodies repair themselves; we regain our health; and get back on the road of life. Many are limping along from day to day, dealing with chronic illness or injury. Others feel decommissioned by it. Some know what they are dealing with, and others are trapped in exploring what ails them. Almost all other aspects of life are put on hold while we do the arduous work of pursuing healing.

I visited a very ill friend in the hospital recently. Her uncle was visiting and was just disconsolate. He kept saying, “I can’t believe how sick you are.” Worse, “God always takes the good ones.” Who wants that visitor in the room?

If you are not sick today, please pause long enough to think of someone who is unwell. Would you come alongside them and bring comfort and strength? Jesus commanded us to visit the sick. That was not a suggestion. Your concern lends them hope. It could be as simple as putting a card in the mail with a simple note that you’re thinking of and praying for them. Better yet, show up.

The analogy of having to pull your car over on the side of the road is a very apt one. Everyone else goes zipping by while you are stuck there. We all know the relief of someone pulling over and taking the time to see what we need and if they can be of help. What a powerful gesture expressing that you are not left behind. That you are seen and cared for. That if you like, I will sit with you till help arrives or until we can figure out what is going on. I have been on the receiving end of that and I’m eternally grateful for it.

Thomas Carlyle said, “He who has health has hope, and he who has hope has everything.” The ministry of visiting the sick is paramount. It communicates love and imparts hope. Who will you lend someone your hope today? And when you pray over them, pray powerful prayers of complete healing, as Jesus would do. Speak hope and recompense. Bring joy and light. Don’t speak death and despair. Most importantly, remember you are not sick and seeking healing, you are healed and fighting illness!

2. Soundness of Mind

I define soundness of mind as thinking what God thinks and what He made you to think. Of course, then along comes the enemy of your soul to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10). He plants weeds in that crop and pretty soon we are thinking all sorts of things we have no business thinking. Too many people are careless with their thoughts, the very place we were created to be most like God. Here’s a simple exercise for you to practice today: evaluate your thoughts.

There are thoughts that we harbor that are not in keeping with who we are as children of God. As ambassadors of the Most High. We harbor evil thoughts, crippled thoughts, ugly thoughts, pathetic thoughts, self-pitying thoughts, and worthless thoughts. Those thoughts do not exhibit the sound mind He has given you. Your sound mind is a factory for persevering thoughts, elevated thoughts, building thoughts, reconciling thoughts, rectifying thoughts, powerful thoughts, abundance thoughts, conquering thoughts, worthy thoughts, miraculous thoughts, healing thoughts, thoughts creating good and wonderful things. Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable, if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think on these things! (Philippians 4:8).

Fortunately, it takes a thought to fight a thought. It takes an idea to combat an idea. Don’t let your lousy thought take root. Wrestle it with another thought and oust it. If my Marine is thinking, “This is stupid, and I want to go home now.” He can replace that with, “I am held, I am helped, and I am capable,” or when he is kissing the dust doing his thousandth push-up with two thousand more to go, “I just need to make it to the next meal.”

CTA:

1. If you are in poor health today, who can you reach out to for comfort and strength? If you are in good health, who can you lend hope to with your attention and presence?
2. Pretend you are a traffic cop enforcing the laws of soundness of mind in your mind. What types of unsound thoughts are squatting on your premises and destroying your mind? What citations are you giving them?
3. Share this with 2 people. Share 1 comment on a time someone lent you hope when you were unwell.