The Life of the Flesh - Spiritual Nugget 56

As part of my annual medical exam, I had a complete lab work-up. I must say that the results were stunning and especially revealing.

Apart from the usual glucose and cholesterol screening, every vitamin or mineral supplement was detailed in the blood work by type and amount. I was amazed that the details of my diet could be found in these results. Healthy or unhealthy, it is all there in the blood.

I was immediately struck by the Scripture: “The life of the flesh is in the blood.” (Leviticus 17:11). The more I thought about my results, the more I realized that I was a turtle in understanding the principle.

Blood brotherhood or friendship has been used for centuries to denote inter-transference of blood. The medical procedure of blood transfusion is a common occurrence in which donated blood is provided through an IV line. A transfusion can save a life when the patient has severe blood loss due to injury, disease, or other disorders.

Similarly, everything we think, say, or do is exposed. Nothing is ever hidden. To name a few, if we are mean-spirited and angry, we become resentful—our blood pressure is affected. If we are ungrateful or invite bitterness and pride to set up shop in our attitude—depression and mental breakdown may occur. If we are lazy, we become irresponsible, unsuccessful, and a “blame shifter.” Chemical imbalance, hard facial features, blood diseases, and lowered immune systems are frequently consequences of inward roots or thorns that we believe are hidden from view. But they are never hidden--never.

One of the most detrimental emotions that can lacerate and harm the blood is anger. Anger is like shattered glass. It can not only harm any person who gets struck by the glass, but you, yourself, become a perfect specimen for disability. When anger becomes your daily companion, it displays an evil bag of tricks: vindictive personal feelings, personal revenge, screaming, cursing, rage, striking/beating, destroying. It becomes the drum beat for greater strife and division. If anger is one of the regular displays of your personality, it has invaded your blood that leads to the heart. It has become the undertaker of your soul, preparing you for your exit.

In today’s environment, anger and its helpers are always waiting in the wings for their cue to take place in your life. Many people of the Bible faced the same characters and left us with unforgettable examples.

Saul’s jealousy and disloyalty gradually caused him to become angry and bitter—he was tormented by depression. (I Samuel 16:14). Eventually, his entire family was wiped out. Judas Iscariot was not only a traitor, but also a thief. His guilt-ridden soul induced him to commit suicide. (Matthew 27:3-4) David’s son, Absalom, had his brother murdered because of anger toward his brother for raping their sister. (2 Samuel 13:28-29).

Scripture instructs us to exterminate all thorns and squatters that invade the blood of the spirit, and our physical bodies. Learn to cherish your body temple and make way for the things that cleanse your blood and your spirit, e.g., love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, humility, and self-control. (Galatians 5:22-23)

---