You may have seen it on the street. Maybe on your way to work or while shopping at the mall. Hopefully, you saw quite a few the last time you were in church. I’m talking about a random, cheerful, open smile, that warmed your heart and made your day. Of all the ways that we as Christians can spread the love of God, the easiest may be through a smile.
Yes, it’s no secret that I’m part of the smile ministry. Coworkers, friends, and complete strangers have often commented on my “smiley” disposition. And every now and then, I’m accused of “smiling for no reason.” But one of my favorite Sunday School arts and crafts remnants is a small pillow that puts it all into perspective. The pillow says, “Smile, Jesus loves you!” So even when I’m having a hard day or if I’m going through a particularly rough trial, if you ask me, “Why are you smiling?” My answer will most likely be, “God is good!”
Interestingly enough, the word “smile” does NOT appear in the King James Version of the Bible. According to my keyword search, not even once. The closest mention of smiling comes from Proverbs 15:13 which says, “A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance: but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken.” And to me, that verse speaks volumes.
If we let our circumstances dictate our countenance (the expression on our face, or our outward appearance), then we would walk around half the time with a smile and half the time with a scowl! Let’s face it, in life, we have good days and bad days. But when we have joy within—the joy that comes from knowing the love of Jesus and having a relationship with God—then our heart is not affected by our circumstance. We may have hard times, but our spirit is not broken. We may have pain, but we are not hopeless. We may be down, but we are not out!
When others see your smile—especially in times when they know you are going through difficulties—it speaks to their spirit. It lets them know that in spite of your circumstances, you have something that is going to get you through. And often, it’s infectious. You may soon find them “smiling for no reason,” too. What a great opportunity to share the joy of the Lord!
No matter what the circumstance, we can have a cheerful countenance. Smile, Jesus loves you!
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Your New Season
This is an exciting time of year. The snow is melting, the temperature is rising, and the daylight lasts longer (by the way, Daylight Savings Time begins today). Of course, this is all the prelude to the lovely spring season. But many of us aren’t just making a transition out of winter, the Lord is preparing us for other changes in our lives. Are you ready for your new season?
There have been times recently where we’ve felt like we just can’t win for losing. One disappointment has come after another. And just when we thought things couldn’t get any worse, something else came along that was even more devastating. The more we’ve tried to get ahead the further we’ve gotten behind. For many of us it’s been a miserable season in our lives.
In a beautiful passage from Song of Solomon 2:11-12, a young lover eagerly anticipates the new season with her beloved and says, “See! The winter is past; the rains are over and gone. Flowers appear on the earth; the season of singing has come, the cooing of doves is heard in our land.” Aren’t we looking for the same signs of change?
Just like the single blade of grass that appears with the first sign spring, the Lord is sending you glimmers of hope. Pay attention to the signs of change around you. Maybe the frozen job market is starting to thaw, or your monthly payments are starting to make a dent in your bills, perhaps there’s even a chance to rebuild a broken relationship, or maybe healing from a sickness has begun. Are you ready for the new season?
In the cycle of life, the winter of our lives is followed by the renewal of spring. Get ready—a change is going to come!
There have been times recently where we’ve felt like we just can’t win for losing. One disappointment has come after another. And just when we thought things couldn’t get any worse, something else came along that was even more devastating. The more we’ve tried to get ahead the further we’ve gotten behind. For many of us it’s been a miserable season in our lives.
In a beautiful passage from Song of Solomon 2:11-12, a young lover eagerly anticipates the new season with her beloved and says, “See! The winter is past; the rains are over and gone. Flowers appear on the earth; the season of singing has come, the cooing of doves is heard in our land.” Aren’t we looking for the same signs of change?
Just like the single blade of grass that appears with the first sign spring, the Lord is sending you glimmers of hope. Pay attention to the signs of change around you. Maybe the frozen job market is starting to thaw, or your monthly payments are starting to make a dent in your bills, perhaps there’s even a chance to rebuild a broken relationship, or maybe healing from a sickness has begun. Are you ready for the new season?
In the cycle of life, the winter of our lives is followed by the renewal of spring. Get ready—a change is going to come!
Sunday, March 7, 2010
The Movie vs. The Book
When Hollywood adapts a popular book for movie audiences, it is often met with criticism. “The book is better,” is commonly grumbled. Often, the book itself rockets to the top of the best seller list, as people grab it from the shelves to compare the written word to the silver screen. They want to see for themselves if the characters, story line, and ending stay true to the original. One of the best-selling books of all time is the Bible. But as Christians, can we spot the differences between the original text and the Hollywood version?
I remember once talking to my Sunday School class about the life of Moses. When explaining why he had to flee Egypt (Exodus 2:11–15), one of my students piped up, “Because he accidentally killed one of the Egyptians.” “Accidentally?” I replied, “No, I don’t think so.” But my student went on to explain how it happened in The Prince of Egypt. Or, in other words, how in the PG-rated Hollywood version, the scriptwriters and director felt it was better to have Moses kill someone accidentally than to have audiences know that he committed murder, as the Word clearly states.
While the imagination and artistry involved in theatrical productions of Biblical accounts are entertaining, we need to be careful to consult the original. And yes, even the beloved Easter season favorite, The Passion of the Christ needs to be viewed with a careful eye. There are a couple of scenes that are fused with more Hollywood creativity than Biblical accuracy. One that comes to mind is the frightening torment of Judas after the betrayal. Possible? Yes. Accurate? No. the depiction on screen is not accounted for in the Bible (Matthew 27:3–5).
As Christians, we should feel free to enjoy entertainment that is positive and uplifting. And it is encouraging to see writers, actors, directors and others sharing their talents in this way—when they have so many other options. Biblically-based presentations are a great way to introduce people to Christ and positively represent our faith…let’s just be sure we know the difference between the adaptation and the original.
I enjoyed the movie, but the Book is better!
I remember once talking to my Sunday School class about the life of Moses. When explaining why he had to flee Egypt (Exodus 2:11–15), one of my students piped up, “Because he accidentally killed one of the Egyptians.” “Accidentally?” I replied, “No, I don’t think so.” But my student went on to explain how it happened in The Prince of Egypt. Or, in other words, how in the PG-rated Hollywood version, the scriptwriters and director felt it was better to have Moses kill someone accidentally than to have audiences know that he committed murder, as the Word clearly states.
While the imagination and artistry involved in theatrical productions of Biblical accounts are entertaining, we need to be careful to consult the original. And yes, even the beloved Easter season favorite, The Passion of the Christ needs to be viewed with a careful eye. There are a couple of scenes that are fused with more Hollywood creativity than Biblical accuracy. One that comes to mind is the frightening torment of Judas after the betrayal. Possible? Yes. Accurate? No. the depiction on screen is not accounted for in the Bible (Matthew 27:3–5).
As Christians, we should feel free to enjoy entertainment that is positive and uplifting. And it is encouraging to see writers, actors, directors and others sharing their talents in this way—when they have so many other options. Biblically-based presentations are a great way to introduce people to Christ and positively represent our faith…let’s just be sure we know the difference between the adaptation and the original.
I enjoyed the movie, but the Book is better!
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