On Smiling
Smile. God really does love you. Really.
Yes, you have a lot going on. Plenty of things fill your day: family commitments, work deadlines, bills due, chores at home. Life is hard.
But smile.
Smiling may be the Christian’s strongest confession of faith. (It certainly is a lot easier than reciting the Athanasian Creed!)
Look at this word from Habakkuk 3:
Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls,yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Savior. The Sovereign LORD is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to go on the heights.
What a powerful sentiment. With the whole Chaldean army prepared to swoop down and wreak havoc, Habakkuk found something to smile about: God was with him. Joy because of the presence of God, not happiness at what is happening, drives the smile of the child of God.
And he is with you; he is present. God is with you to love and care, to forgive and strengthen. Think on this: the eternal life-giving God, who made heaven and earth, who has forgiven your sins and promised you all that you need for now and forever, is with you. That God is with you. So smile.
Smile, and sometimes laugh, when you’re working. Sure, your work is serious and presents many challenges, but remember God dwells in the midst of your day. Your demeanor as a Christ follower can show through in the work environment, a place often fraught with pressure and anxiety. God has deployed you there as a “non-anxious presence.” Christian witness in the workplace starts by being a person of joy with a smile and a ready laugh.
Smile, but watch the laughter, when you are comforting those who are in a time of need or crisis. People in pain need many things. Among them is your smile. A smile does not minimize the gravity of a situation, rather in injects a sense of warmth and peace. It testifies to God’s presence.
Smile when you are out shopping or running errands. Those who work the registers or tables or check-out lanes or stock carts have difficult jobs. Fellow shoppers and errand runners carry with them burdens and preoccupations. By presenting a light-hearted demeanor characterized by a smile you shine a light of the Gospel wherever you go.
Smile around your family. And definitely laugh. Don’t let the weight of daily life inhibit the joy of Christ at home.
And every once in a while smile in the mirror. God really does love that goof looking back at you.
A smile today will steady your path toward significance.