13 Even in laughing the heart is sorrowful, and the end of that mirth is heaviness.
Ecclesiastes 7:3 (AMP)
3 Sorrow is better than laughter, for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better and gains gladness.
Proverbs 17:22 (AMP)
A happy heart is good medicine and a cheerful mind works healing, but a broken spirit dries up the bones.
I am seeing a pertinent theme here. Healing begins on the inside. Sometimes we are obsessed with outward appearances. Laughter, and smiling is good... when the heart/soul/spirit is happy and healthy. But if your soul or spirit is down, then there is something better than laughter to begin the healing process. Sorrow in Christ will help you recover. Feeling and expressing that sadness is ok and needed before you can regain a sense of joy sometimes. So, laughter and smiles are not the "medicine" here... but the joyful heart behind it that is able to smile and laugh. Forcing a smile is not the answer when you are down.
I for one sometimes get "ribbed" or teased and told to smile more. And it is a bit annoying- I will admit that. After all, I work away, with a cheerful heart and a serious expression, completely content and absorbed in what I am doing. I get misread sometimes even by people who know me somewhat. But I am content. I smile a LOT more than some people do (see the picture below). But even if I don't there is nothing wrong with a serious expression. It is part of who I am. I am sure these fellows would agree:
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| Newsboys "smiling" for their promo pic. |
There is more to life than smiles. It begins on the inside. Anyone who needs to heal needs Jesus. And it's ok to feel sad and look sad during that process. The Bible says so. It is needed. People don't need to be told to "laugh it off" if they are actually hurting. They need to be allowed to be real and be encouraged to come to Jesus. And a friend might be good to have for support. Yes, emotions should not rule us. We must allow the Spirit of Truth to rule the soul (soul is our mind, will, and emotions.) But that doesn't mean we shouldn't feel or express emotions. We should. As long as we aren't trying to manipulate others with them or draw inordinate attention to ourselves. And I don't recommend people go around looking grumpy all the time. We should be as pleasant as possible, and always kind and courteous to one another. But we should be real, not actors.
When smiles and laughter don't cut it, sorrow is good for healing. Jesus felt sorrow on earth many times, and can relate personally to you and I when we talk to Him.
I am generally a very happy person. I can see benefits to basically every circumstance I go through, even the not so pleasant ones. But I also attempt to grapple with reality, from a Christian Biblical perspective. So I attempt to be real, yet have a generally positive outlook. After all, Jesus is LORD and He paid for my sins and set me free! I have plenty to be thankful for in that, and in the details of my everyday life. But, without realizing it, I do tend to give a "serious" vibe with my expressions sometimes. That's just the way I am, and God made me this way. I am completely content and happy with how He made me.
So, I am not so quick to judge people based on their smile. Be careful when you assess people. It is not really about the outward smile or appearance.
I know that some people may be hurting, even in their laughter and smiles. And some of the most joyful people do smile and are pleasant, yet they may not have the biggest smile, because they are not trying to impress anyone but their LORD and Saviour Jesus Christ.
Be blessed
Pastor Curtis
Thurs. Aug 28 2014 2:08AM EST
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