October 22, 2026

Business by the Book

Proverbs 17:22 A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.

Most of the truly successful people I know have a merry countenance.  The question arises then, does success bring forth a merry heart, or does a merry heart bring forth success.  Someone may say, “If I had all that they have I would be merry too!”  All the while discounting the fact that those who are successful were of a merry outlook before success came knocking on their door. 

A merry heart is not dependent upon prosperity, position, prestige or popularity.  For far too many that have these things are not merry.  A merry heart is something much deeper.  It has to do with contentment of soul, being self-aware, acceptance, and a rosy outlook for all the tomorrows of one’s life. 

There is an organization out there today that is about to fail.  It will not fail because they do not have a good product or provide a needed service.  They are going to fail as a result of a broken spirit.  The man who was the visionary of this organization no longer is involved as he is now retired.  The institution trudges on, but the spirit is broken.  It clutches to the letter of the once noble vision statement, but as Paul tells us in his letter to the church at Corinth, …the letter killeth… (II Corinthians 3:6) Fidelity to the documents of origination of any institution is vital to its success.  But such fidelity without the spirit of purpose, fairness, promotion, and bringing mutual success to all in the organization will lead to ultimate failure. 

A machine may work fine without any concern of the happiness of the machine.  But people are not machines, for their welfare a degree of merriment is needed.  Without this dedicated workers become machines and human machines will break sooner or later.  The spirit of mankind needs merriment to be healthy.  Business owners, managers at all levels, pastors, and leaders of every stripe need to remember this truth for it is one of God’s laws of the universe.  

Antagonists will say that we seek far too much merriment today.  While certainly anything can be taken too far and seeking only merriment will bring one to poverty, seeking to obtain, and retain, a merry heart in and through our work - that is a balance that will bring lifelong profit.  Be merry, it’s contagious. 

Dr. William Howe