Walking with the Wise #226: Good News

“The light of the eyes rejoices the heart,

and good news refreshes the bones.”
—Proverbs 15:30

I remember when my wife told me we were pregnant for the first time. It was unbelievable. I can still see her face and the twinkle in her eye as she smiled and quietly whispered, “We’re pregnant!” I was so excited I didn’t know what to do with myself. I was a spring of joy that couldn’t keep the good news to myself and couldn’t wait to tell my family and friends.

Like today’s passage, my wife’s eyes communicated something to me even before her words did. I could see from her face that she had good news to tell me and once she did, my heart soared with unbelievable joy. My wife’s expression is a tangible representation of today’s proverb. The “light of the eyes” comes from joyous news that enables the heart to rejoice, and the good news is at the root of it all—both of which give joy and life.

There are all kinds of good news that we experience every day—a new job, an engagement, children, career advancement, purchasing of a home, the realization of a dream or the completion of a task, but no news is as great as what God did on behalf of sinful man. The Greek word for “gospel” literally means “good news.” The good news is that we were lost in our sin and God provided a way out for us by taking our sin upon Himself in the person of His Son, paying the price for our sin, and then rose again so that by faith in Him we might have newness of life. Jesus died for your sin and mine and gives us life, and once we come to know Him, He then commissions us to share that good news with others so that they too may experience true life in Him. And for those who come to receive that good news they will have joy and life in Him.

May God enable us all to be joyful messengers, excitedly and passionately telling others about who Jesus is and what He has done for them, so that they might know forgiveness and have peace with God for His glory and their joy—forever and ever. Amen.