Cancer Blog #33
By Brian Zimmerman
Begun on July 31, 2021
Email: dyingman1@yahoo.com
My Dying Words
Entry #33 – Death and Wisdom
April 26, 2022
[Pro 8:35-36 NASB95] 35 “For he who finds me finds life And obtains favor from the LORD. 36 “But he who sins against me injures himself; All those who hate me love death.
[Pro 9:18 NASB95] 18 But he does not know that the dead are there, [That] her guests are in the depths of Sheol.
As I’ve mentioned before, when I was still practicing as a PT in home health, there was a principle I noticed at work among many of my patients, viz., that the worst problems were the ones that were self-created. Certainly esophageal CA, or a severe injury from, say, a fall, are bad, but they don’t hold a candle to the wrack and ruin of problems that people cause for themselves and, of course, for those who care for them. From medical problems caused by obesity (e.g., hypertension, diabetes, COPD, heart issues, joint pain (in the back, knees, and hips, etc.) to relationship problems by being angry, stubborn, selfish, or just thoughtless and lazy, these were all problems that the patient (usually, though it occurred also with family members such as grown children of the patient) caused, not something that just happened to them and was outside of their control. To me, these were all instances of what this passage in Proverbs chapter 8 is pointing to, viz., that acting without wisdom is death to our soul and bodies, indeed to every part of our life.
And, quite often, as Proverbs chapter 9 points out, people cannot see the part that they played in their own (and others’ suffering). That part was often obvious in the finger pointing and blame shifting that patients would engage in, believing that their pain or other medical issues were the fault of medical personnel who couldn’t find a way to just cure their diabetes or hypertension or joint pain, any or all which were caused by their lifestyle that usually resulted in morbid obesity, even though it was obvious to everyone around them where the problems originated and why the patient was suffering from them. They were often symptoms of a greater problem, mainly unwise behavior such as overeating, or drinking soft drinks nonstop while sitting and watching television all day, day in and day out, but these were problems that they would shy away from ever seeing. If that sounds incredible or unkind, then you should have just followed me around as I traveled from home to home and saw this pattern repeated over and over. I wouldn’t say that obesity is the cause of all the health problems I saw, obviously, but it was a cause of many of them, and one that is a great problem in our culture generally.
As Proverbs chapter 8 makes clear, wisdom and the life it brings doesn’t just happen by accident or even easily. Wisdom in how to live must be sought after intentionally and will be found only when we truly want it. And, it will produce a certain amount of discomfort and perhaps humility, even humiliation, as we must submit to correction and discipline not only from God, and so perhaps may avoid public notice, but often from human instruments to prod or to help us make needed changes that will bring us a life we can be glad of instead of a life full of sorrows accompanying premature and unnatural death. Resisting those corrections cuts off the gift that is offered to us in those corrections. To change in order to gain wisdom is always necessary as wisdom isn’t just a philosophy but a life style, but, unfortunately, acquiring wisdom, as I’ve said, isn’t always easy or pain free. Believe me, I know from my recent experience, acquiring more wisdom came first and foremost from an evil, a trouble that I never anticipated. Yet God has used it for good for me to help me seek more wisdom.
The path of one who lacks wisdom ends in a death accompanied by regrets and sorrow, both now and eternally. That lack of wisdom, that pride and stubbornness, only lead to suffering for us and for those bound to us, our mates, our children, our friends. A life of folly may perversely have its appeal as we all know and Proverbs chapter 9 explains:
[Pro 9:13 ESV] 13 “The woman Folly is loud; she is seductive…”
[Pro 9:17 NASB95] 17 “Stolen water is sweet; And bread [eaten] in secret is pleasant.”
But, in the end, the outcome is always the same – death in so many forms, sorrow without relief, for in Folly’s house, the dead are there. Better to pursue wisdom and find life and joy.
Next: Death as Their Shepherd