Please follow the instructions. The manufacturer is the best-placed advocate. God created humans and gave us Proverbs
Solomon asks God for instructions to “govern” His people in his selfless prayer.
Give therefore your servant an understanding heart to judge your people, that I may discern between good and bad.
God more than answered his prayer by making Solomon the wisest leader of all times (bar Christ of Whom Solomon was a precursor). Nobody has published more pertinent books with life, and leadership guidelines. He is the secular life coach par excellence, and Proverbs is the prime example of these instructions for everyone.
(Transform Your Mind, Upgrade Your Life – Chapter 22)
I want to Uncover the Nakedness Mystery
Proverbs are Rules for Life
The proverbs (H4912) of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel;
We may consider the word proverb as a quaint inspirational maxim, but it is much more in Biblical Hebrew.
מָשָׁל mâshâl maw-shawl’; apparently from H4910 (מָשַׁל) in some original sense of superiority in mental action; properly, a pithy maxim, usually of metaphorical nature; hence, a simile (as an adage, poem, discourse):
KJV – byword, like, parable, proverb.
H4910.
מָשַׁל mâshal maw-shal’; a primitive root; to rule:
KJV – (have, make to have) dominion, governor, ⨯ indeed, reign, (bear, cause to, have) rule(-ing, -r), have power.
Mashal in modern Hebrew is the root of the word government (memshala). As an interesting side note, although I’m unsure of its grammatical value, the three letters of mashal (משל) and shalom (שלם) are identical. Also, consider that in Hebrew, Solomon is Shlomo, (שְׁלֹמֹה), a derivative of shalom. If we put the story together, Proverbs are instructions for peace given by Peace. Mashal by Shlomo. Meditate on the depth of shalom, which you can study here. That is peace of mind, mental health.
Remember WHY God gave humans neshama and ruach, consciousness and mind. We are to be Kings and Priests, that is, Rulers. These mashalim, proverbs are rules, instructions about how to rule, ourselves and others. This manual prepares us for our lives now and in the future.
In the last Chapter, I quoted Ecclesiastes 12:13: “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.” In Hebrew, the verse is more explicit; [duty] was added to the translation. Check it at UnlockBibleMeaning.com via the Interlinear Bible. It reads “Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole man.” Look at the beginning of this verse, there are two injunctions: Fear God, and keep his commandments. Fear God summarizes the first four of the Ten Commandments, while keep His Commandments is a resume of the last six.
To be a whole man and woman, keep the Ten Commandments and let the instructions of Proverbs be your guide. That’s the way to whole health, including peace of mind. This is the way to beat anxiety, it’s true holistic healing.
The Commandments and Proverbs are Guardrails
Unfortunately, we hear about people falling because they didn’t use the guardrail. Or hikers on unprotected paths with sheer cliffs. We are all subject to the hazards of life and need solid guardrails and instructions to keep us on the right track. Our inner defects and outer influences continually affect our mental stability. Hence, we need a pillar to steady us and keep us upright and heading in the right direction.
That’s the role of the Commandments and instructions in Proverbs.
Transform Your Mind, Upgrade Your Life is the book of Bible psychology instructions leading your consciousness and mind to mental health. This has nothing to do with religion, doctrine, Church, beliefs, or practices. You are a God-created human; He knows exactly how you function and sent along the Manual with all the necessary instructions. A product cannot and does not know how to repair and maintain itself. Lifewise with humans. In the diagram, the 10 Commandments and Proverbs are the guardrails that channel our internal and external influences, keeping them within the guardrails of mental health.
For you [God] have possessed my reins: You have covered me in my mother’s womb. I will praise you; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: Marvellous are your works; And that my soul knows right well.
King David was well aware that God was his Maker, as He is ours. Our bodies and minds are unique; we must take care of them. Some look at rules as constraints and outside control. No, everything has rules for proper usage. The real question is, will I CHOOSE the rules and apply self-discipline and self-restraint? Or will I follow my own imagination, studies, and conceptions about mental health?
A Practical Workbook
The first part of this book resolved both the existence and nature of consciousness and mind. We must know what we’re dealing with before we can nurture and heal. The WHY and HOW are solved; now we move on to WHAT we can and must do for the optimum operation of these two spirits we possess. WHAT to do to make them work in harmony, and the instructions to apply to bring mental health. Hence the need for a workbook with practical exercises.
Here’s an image revealing the major and offspring areas of our mental makeup. It outlines the five areas of consciousness and their derivatives; the activities where the mind operates. Many other characteristics can be grafted onto these branches. These characteristics sum up the entire human being and society and the relationship between both.
These traits cover every aspect of individual and collective human society. Each of us is a customized mixture of all these traits to one degree or another. To a large extent, corporate bodies like companies, associations, clubs, etc., are characterized by a majority of these characteristics and play an essential role in the fabric of society.
The positive or negative scope, or amalgamation of all these markers, denotes our mental state, healthy or not. Insofar as these personal qualities, assailed by our internal and society’s external influences, are within the guardrails of the good of the Tree of Good and Evil, we benefit from mental health. On the other hand, if we are overpowered by our inner fears and outer forces, we sink into mental ill-health
Healing Mental Health
Healing mental health means favorably leveraging our thoughts and actions concerning those inner fears and outer forces.
God gave us the Proverb guidelines to identify those thoughts and actions, and show us the positive and negative results.
Proverbs are prods to jump-start our mental journey and accelerate the mental health healing process.
The key is that each of the approximately 800 proverb instructions can be associated with one or more of the mental traits and actions in the above diagram.
Each of us is different; no detailed instructions fit all. This workbook contains 12 exercises (a 12-week program) for general consumption, but even there, I’ll show you how to personalize them.
We increasingly see players on sports teams arguing with the referee over the application of rules. Unfortunately, a similar approach can affect us when studying or meditating on God’s Word. Rules in sports and the Bible are not there because the referee or God wants to control us, to the contrary. Those guidelines are there so the game runs smoothly, despite two opposing teams or, in our case, two opposing pulls, one to the good, the other to the evil. It’s always our choice. Warring Proverbs, as I call them, reveal this pull between good and evil and encourage us toward the good.
Focus on a Proverb/Action for a Week
The goal is to determine what specific aspect, and I do mean precise detail, of your character you will focus your attention on this week. Which of the five areas of consciousness do you need to work on (ex. Purpose)? Within that area, what precise characteristic needs explicit attention (ex. Learning more about such and such, depending on your specific purpose)?
Find a Proverb that addresses explicitly your phobia, twisted view, thought, purpose, or habit that’s causing you hardship, and that’s your daily action exercise for the week. This is what you want to write out, keep with you, pray about, meditate on, study and talk to others about ways and methods to apply this Proverb, this rule. Brainstorm, journal your ideas, and especially PRACTICE them. This is not theoretical it is PRACTICAL. Faith without works is dead. Brainstorming with action is also dead.
Do this for a week because six days shall you work, and the seventh day is the day of rest, meaning ceasing and refreshing your thinking process. To meditate on your last week’s backsliding or hopefully progress, and establish a plan for the next week. Adam and Eve had the Sabbath, 7th Day with God, immediately after their 6th Day Creation. They, like God, didn’t need physical rest; they needed mental stimulation to prepare them for the upcoming week. Unfortunately for them it became a down week.
We should evaluate our action plan in relation to our chosen Proverb and see our balance of good and evil. Positive growth means better mental health. Little by little, week by week, we improve.
Look at this practical exercise and use it as a template for your own Proverbs Bible study and personal mental health program.
We will give more advice in the practical exercises. But if you don’t feel up to it, you might need or already have a Bible-oriented psychologist. It’s time to talk and share this with them.
- Find or speak with your mentor, family, or other carer.
- Find practical situations where you can apply the Proverb.
- Adapt the instructions for age, frame of mind, or difficulty.
- Set up your daily and weekly plans.
- Discuss them and their results with people you’re at ease with and who can give you constructive advice.
- Move to the next little step.
- Keep moving, even if you go sideways or backward occasionally.
I’d love to hear about your experience as an inspiration for all of us to improve our mental health.
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