Proverbs 14

“A tranquil heart is life to the body, but passion is rottenness to the bones” (v30).  “Passion” can also be translated as “envy.”  The proverbs point out that our choices flow from the condition of our hearts.  Envy, bitterness, fear, and pain (v10-13) have their effect on our bodies and our actions.  We can’t simply cover up our deepest feelings without consequences.  The good news is that knowing we are loved by God changes our emotions: “in the fear of the Lord there is strong confidence” (v26).

Fearing God – trusting and knowing Him as a good Father – is “a fountain of life” (v27).