Are You Smiling?

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!