An unknown Author once said, “Some people are too tired to give you a smile. Give them one of yours, as none needs a smile so much as he who has no more to give.“ Haven’t we all been there? Stubbornly resisting the God inspired urge within us to smile.
As a guy growing up in our Americanized culture, smiling was something to be avoided at all cost. To smile was to be seen as embarrassing or even shameful. What is it that keeps guys from feeling comfortable with their smiles? Certainly dentists have implied that the answer is whitening our teeth so we can look goood for the camera.
Frank Connor, of United Artist Inc., makes the point perfectly with his recent photo from the movie Valkyrie. The picture features a shot, (you may recall from the movie,) which displays four men standing, and three others sitting around a table looking stone-faced. Of course the tone of the movie couldn’t be more serious. Tom Cruise through the character Count Claus Schenk Graf von Staffenberg, will later attempt to assassinate Adolph Hitler. I doubt even the best comedian could get these somber dudes to smile.
Sadly, our future looks quite solemn as well, with the economy headed down the sewer. These days it seems every newscaster is vying for the most depressing story. Returning solders are now competing with financial experts for the skyrocketing suicide statistics. And nearly every nation of the world seems to be in turmoil or utter chaos.
So what is there to smile about anyway? Even if I could manage to paste on a fake grin on my face, wouldn’t people still perceive me as being insincere? Additionally we usually don’t even consciously choose to avoid smiling. Instead we often feel rushed or have too many things on our mind. Or maybe the day hasn’t gone so great. A friend of mine calls those sorts of days her “Stupid Days.” She simply gives herself the excuse that some days are just stupid and goes on about her business.
Unfortunately I think the overriding reason why most of us don’t choose to smile is fear. That fear could be based on a prejudice, conscious or unconscious. Oddly, a few people choose not to smile for fear that the person might NOT realize how important we are. But I’m sorry to say, for the vast majority of us, we don’t smile for fear of being seen as stupid or insignificant. God forbid, if we smiled the person might attempt to start a conversation with us. Then we might feel really stupid or insecure. Personally I had to admit to myself that I had been choosing not to smile because of this type of insecurity. As a teenager I had convinced myself that being a quiet introspective guy, was somehow Godly or spiritual. In God’s eyes my self consciousness was no less prideful to God than being an arrogant egotist.
Sadly my journey to manhood offered little to allay my insecurities. I John 14:18 in the New International Version tells us that, “There is no fear in love. But, perfect love drives out fear.” The Lord provided several teachers in my life that helped me unpack this verse. If you think about it, you can’t experience love and fear at the same time. It’s impossible. As the scripture plainly says, “Perfect Love (God’s love) drives out fear. As I learned to accept more of God’s love each day, (whether I felt I deserved it or not,) the less fearful and insecure felt. Before long I was whistling and humming most of the day. It came from the pure deep love I had accepted from God on the inside.
One way my confidence grew and allowed me to overcome a smile phobia was joining the church choir. Someone once said, “A smile is the light in the window of your face that tells people you're at home.” At first, when everyone was telling us how important it was to display an over exaggerated smile, or else we as a choir would look washed out before the congregation and cameras, I wanted to quit. I wondered if being in the church choir was going to be my thing. But over time, my fake smile quickly became a genuine one.
The anointing of God, that sweeps over a congregation is truly an amazing thing to witness. Tired world weary Christians, often come into a worship service parched and in need of encouragement. As the music and singing begin, most embrace the joy of their salvation and their countenance unconsciously lifts. Most anxious faces eventually faded into a sea of jubilant worshipers. Leading others into this weekly celebration would not only lift my spirits, but soon I would be wearing a genuine new broad smile.
A few weeks later, an elderly lady in my Sunday School class stopped me to say, “You will never know how much your smile means to me.” At first I was shocked. Me? My wife would have even been more shocked. Him? The guy who hated to smile? Nevertheless, the compliment got me thinking. What if smiling was really a ministry tool God could use to strengthen others?
Unless you have been living in a cave for the last forty years, I’m sure you’ve heard of the health benefits simply smiling offers. For starters, smiling make us more attractive, successful, and positive. It has also been shown to enhance our frame of mind, relieve stress, boost our immune system, lower blood pressure, and releases the natural pain killers in our brains. Who couldn’t use more of those benefits?
To my surprise when turned to the Bible for insight on the subject of smiling only one valid reference could be found. Even the Greek and Hebrew lexicons yielded pitiful results. Yet, in The Message Bible, Job 29:23-25 we find these surprising words from a man who is known for having the hardest life of all. At the end of his life this is what he found.
"Men and women listened when I spoke, hung expectantly on my every word. After I spoke, they'd be quiet, taking it all in. The welcomed my counsel like spring rain, drinking it all in. When I smiled at them they could hardly believe it; their faces lit up, their troubles took wing! I was their leader, establishing the mood and setting the pace by which they lived. Where I led, they followed."
Most of the time, God’s purpose is not to bring us out of problems and struggles but rather to grow us through them. Who could deny that God had cultivated a Ministry of Smiling through the life of Job?
In conclusion I’d like to pass along a bit of wisdom, I’ve learned from various unknown authors. “The shortest distance between two people is a smile. The smile takes but a moment, but the memory of it sometimes lasts forever. Some people are too tired to give you a smile. Give them one of yours, as none needs a smile so much as he who has no more to give. A smile may cost nothing, but gives much! Why not cultivate a ministry of Smiling!
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