Proverbs from A to Z - J

J is for Joyful - (meditation by Dawn)

Source: flickr.com

A joyful heart is good medicine,
but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. Proverbs 17:22

Have you ever worked in an environment like the one in the photo?  Maybe your work, or church, has one or more of these "crushed spirit" folks (I tend to call them crotchety, but for this story, we'll call them Storm Troopers). Anyway, these folks seem to thrive on taking others down too. And, then you know, negativity breeds negativity and before you know it, you get sucked in and have become one of them.

I worked at that place. I had to be diligent at the water cooler. I learned that there were some that I could not have conversations with (or the whole office would know) and others who just brought me down with all the negativity. I refused to be a part of that crap and when I entered the break room, all conversation stopped (and some of the poor "sucked in" girls would then make a break for it). I would then just smile at them, pour my coffee, slowly stir in my milk and sugar until they went back to work.

So friends, be the "joyful" one who is "good" medicine to others, not one of the Storm Troopers at the water cooler.


Reflection on Proverb by Dawn M. Hamsher, member of 1st Writes. Her blog is: The Write Soil.