The Family Circus cartoon pictured little Billy going out the door with his backpack, frowning. His mom is talking to him from the doorway, saying, “Your day goes the way the corners of your mouth turn. So smile.”
When I was little, I didn’t care for such aphorisms (Nor did I know what an “aphorism” was!). But as a parent, I share them with the girls. This one is a good one. A similar aphorism is: “Smile at the world and the world smiles back at you.”
We teach our children to sing the song, “It isn’t any trouble just to S-M-I-L-E.” Trouble doesn’t always vanish like a bubble if you take the trouble to S-M-I-L-E, but smiling helps deal with trouble.
The Christian has a number of reasons why he or she can and should smile – even in the midst of trouble.
1. We smile because God has promised to provide for our needs. “Rejoice” is found 154 times in the ESV. Many of those times have to do with the fact that God provides for our needs. He provided for the health of Adam and Eve in the garden. He provided for the ark in Noah’s day. He provided food and water for the Israelites as they wandered in the wilderness. “Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days” (Psalm 90:14).
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3. We smile because Jesus rose from the dead. The resurrection of Jesus puts our lives into perspective. If we remain faithful to God, He has promised He will not forsake us but He will raise us to everlasting life. That promise was confirmed through the resurrection of Jesus. And if Jesus rose from the dead, we can too. “If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins” (1 Corinthians 15:17). The reverse of Paul’s statement is: “Christ has been raised, your faith is not futile and you are no longer in your sins.” If there is no resurrection, nothing at all matters. If there is a resurrection, nothing else matters.
4. We smile because the church is with us. No group of people transcends barriers like the church of Christ does. Through Jesus, we are one family regardless of gender, race, nationality, socio-economic status, income, etc. The church exists partially for the social needs of her members. “Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep” (Romans 12:15). That was written to the church. We are the church that helps people – physically but especially spiritually. Just as John the baptizer pointed his disciples to Jesus, we too, direct people to the Savior of the world. Then they too can smile.
Your day goes the way the corners of your mouth turn. Here are four reasons for you to smile.
–Paul Holland
