A merry heart does good, like medicine, but a broken spirit dries the bones. Prov. 17:22
Merry means “joyful, happy, and full of cheer.” A heart is a person’s thoughts, inner self, and emotions. Medicine is something that treats a disease. Medicines may treat most diseases, but not all. The worst disease in this world is sin, which brings death for eternity. When we sin, we are in a broken spirit, which dries the bones. The only remedy is to accept Jesus as our personal savior, who brings merry to our hearts, acts as a medicine, and gives the eternal life.
When does a regular Christmas become a “merry” Christmas? It’s not when someone gives you a costly gift, or you go to your favorite place for vacation or when you see a white Christmas, but only when Jesus is born in your heart. Jesus can bring love, joy, and peace, which acts as medicine not just to you but also to society.
With this, let us be glad, rejoice in His salvation (Isa 25:9), and draw the living water from the wells of salvation (Isa. 12:3), which never dries out.