Spiritual Health Checkup

Despite the proven benefits of regular health checkups, some of us (including myself) are reluctant to get them. Many of us are even more reluctant to get a spiritual health checkup. “Why should I get a spiritual checkup?”

In Proverbs 4, Dr. Wisdom is pleading with his son to listen to his advice and undergo regular spiritual health checkups for his continued health at Wisdom University (4:1, 10, 20). Let’s hear his reasoning for our own benefit too.

Spiritual Health Checks Are Helpful (4:1)

Like all checkups, spiritual health checks can be uncomfortable, can tell us something we don’t want to hear, and may result in some painful procedures. But these disadvantages are outweighed by multiple advantages:

• Reduced risk of getting spiritually sick
• Early detection of spiritual problems
• Increased chances of successful interventions
• Monitoring of existing conditions to prevent complications
• Reduced spiritual costs
• Longer and livelier spiritual life
• Awareness of behaviors that are damaging spiritual health
• Understanding of the importance of healthy spirituality

Spiritual checkups make you feel sick, but they’re needed to make you well.

What kind of health check should I get?

Spiritual Health Checks Are Extensive (4:4–27)

If we’re going to get a checkup, we might as well get a good and thorough one, and that’s what we have here. Look at how many areas are examined.

• Retentive memory: “Let your heart hold fast my words . . . do not forget . . . the words of my mouth” (4:4–5).
• Wise love: Love Wisdom, and she’ll keep you, promote you, garland you, and glorify you (4:6–9).
• Receptive ears: “Hear, my son, and accept my words” (4:10).
• Safe feet: “When you walk, your step will not be hampered, and if you run, you will not stumble” (4:12).
• Bright lifestyle: “The path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, which shines brighter and brighter until full day” (4:18).
• Truthful mouth: “Put away from you crooked speech, and put devious talk far from you” (4:24).
• Straight eyes: “Let your eyes look directly forward” (4:25; Job 31:1; Pss. 101:3; 119:37).
• Clear purpose: “Ponder the path of your feet, then all your ways will be sure. Do not swerve to the right or to the left; turn your foot away from evil” (4:26–27).

If you want to be a holy Christian, you must be wholly examined.

That certainly covers a lot of area. But what about my inside?

Spiritual Health Checks Are Intensive (4:23)

“Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life” (4:23). Proverbs expert John Kitchen says, “If there were one verse I could give to Christian young people, it would be this one. Nothing is more essential than guarding the heart.”

The heart is the most important possession you have because it is the inner you, the real you, the core you. It is the most valuable possession, because it is the immortal part, the part that never dies, and the part that can unite and commune with God. It is your most influential possession, because it determines who you are, what you do, and where you go (Matt. 12:34–35; Mark 7:21–23; John 7:38). Your heart is far more influential on your happiness than are your circumstances. Therefore, we must “keep it with all vigilance,” which we do by daily doses of repentance and faith.

You cannot guard your heart for God unless you’ve given your heart to God.

Changing Our Story with God’s Story

Let’s worship Dr. Wisdom, not just because he’s such a good doctor, but because as the Lord Jesus, he had a perfect spiritual bill of health. Inside and outside, he was spiritually holy and healthy. Because of that, we can look forward to future perfect health of soul and body like him (Phil 3:21; 1 John 3:2).

Summary: Why should I get a spiritual checkup? Get regular spiritual checkups to improve the quantity and quality of spiritual life.

Question: Which part of your spiritual body needs treatment?

Prayer: Heavenly Doctor, use Proverbs 4 to give me a spiritual checkup so that I can get necessary treatment and improve my spiritual health.