A few weeks ago I attended a Bible lectureship. Since I am a morning person, I really enjoy the early classes. I like starting my day this way.
On this particular morning, I climbed the steps to the upper floor for a class on the book of Exodus. I was there a little early, so I was reading through a passage of scripture I thought would be part of the discussion.
Two men entered the room, chatting with one another as they made their way to their seats. I looked up, smiled, and looked back at my Bible. As soon as the men were seated, one of them turned to me and said, “Thank you for your smile.”
This incident has made me give some consideration to our daily encounters with people. I wonder what people see on our faces. What should they see?
I believe the way we look at life has a lot to do with our attitude that, in turn, has a lot to do with our behavior, our language, our treatment of other people, and the expressions on our faces.
Our lives are filled with problems, concerns, aggravations, sickness, disappointments, temptations; the list goes on and on. How we handle all of this reflects in our treatment of others and our general appearance.
The earthly brother of Jesus gives us some positive instructions about dealing with the trials of life. “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness” (James 1:2 ESV).
The trials and tribulations for us today cannot compare with the things Christians of the first century had to endure. It is said that James was killed by being hurled from the roof of the temple because he proclaimed that Jesus is the Son of God. This is the man that told us to be joyful in the trials of life.
How could he make such a declaration? It is because his life was totally devoted to serving God. John tells us that the brothers of Jesus did not, in the beginning, believe in the deity of Jesus. At some point, however, James became a believer; he used his influence to serve God in whatever way he could.
What we fail to acknowledge is that life also comes with lots of good things. Just looking out at the beauty of spring should bring joy to our hearts. But what should bring us joy?
The Psalmist said, “This is the day that the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it” (Psalm 118:24). Whether the day brings the beauty of spring, the rain, the snow, or falling leaves, we should rejoice in the day God gives us.
Jesus once told a parable about a lost sheep. He told this story to the Scribes and Pharisees because they complained that He ate with sinners.
In the story, a man had a hundred sheep. One of them was lost, and the shepherd had a choice. He could forget about the one lost sheep, or he could go looking for it. Of course, he chose to go and find it. Then Jesus said, “Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance” (Luke 15:7).
Think what that means to us. We should rejoice when someone who has strayed from the truth, has hurt our feelings, or has done some wrong decides to repent. According to this passage, heaven is rejoicing. We should also rejoice.
Paul talks about the way of love in First Corinthians 13. He says, “Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth” (First Corinthians 13:4-6).
No matter the trials and temptations that come our way, we should rejoice in the days that God gives us. We should be joyful when a sinner repents. We should rejoice in truth.
If we are truly joyful, we will reflect that in the way we treat others, the way we greet strangers, the way we serve the Lord on a daily basis.
“Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. But let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler. Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name” (First Peter 4:12-16).
Sandra Oliver