A happy heart makes the face cheerful. But heartache crushes the spirit. ~Proverbs
15:13
All the days of the oppressed are wretched. But the cheerful heart has a continual feast. ~Proverbs 15:15
A cheerful look brings joy to the heart, and good news gives health to the bones. ~Proverbs 15:30
A cheerful heart is good medicine. But a crushed spirit dries up the bones. ~Proverbs 17:22
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received, or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. ~Philippians 4:8-9
So just for fun, I have to throw in Solomon’s contrast, that he wrote, probably near the end of his life. “A good name is better than fine perfume, and the day of death better than the day of birth. It’s better to go to a house of mourning than to go to a house of feasting, for death is the destiny of every man. The living should take this to heart. Sorrow is better than laughter because a sad face is good for the heart. The heart of the wise is in the heart of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of pleasure. It is better to heed a wise man’s rebuke then to listen to the song of fools. Like the crackling of thorns under the pot, so is the laughter of fools. This too is meaningless.” (Ecclesiastes 7:1-6)
Oh, my goodness! What in the world happened to cheery, optimistic Solomon with all his words about cheer being good for us, good like a medicine? What happened was: Seven hundred wives, three hundred concubines, the power to do or get practically anything he wanted, riches beyond compare and wisdom beyond anyone else’s. He got what so many people want. But he learned: there is more joy in community, in the struggle, in companionship, and most importantly, in following God, than anything this world can offer.
I put this contrast in because so many people want what Solomon got. The lesson for them is the one that Solomon truly learned, all that stuff, all that power, all that wealth, and having a harem does not make one happy. The saddest thing is that, in obtaining all that he did materially, he lost having God at the center of his life spiritually, and that is probably what, in the end, made him most miserable of all.
Being content with the simple life that God blesses us with is where the best happiness can be found. Solomon knew that once, but he wasn’t content to stay there. He allowed the acquisition of more and more to rob him of the joy he once had, until he became a sullen figure whose only description of the gift of life that God had given him was, “meaningless.”
This is why Paul talks so much about the importance of being content in all situations. When we can see the good in what we have, and where we are, and not allow longing for something else to rob us of the possibility of present joy, we will be better for it. His prescription to think about good things, true things, lovely things, is probably his secret for staying content and hopeful in very difficult circumstances.
“All the days of the oppressed are wretched, but the cheerful heart has a continual feast.” Paul was certainly oppressed, but because he did not focus on his circumstances, but instead, focused on all the good, lovely and true things that he had in Christ, his heart had a continual feast. That is how the peace of Christ stayed with him.
Can we do the same? When you think about it, we have so much to be joyful about. We may not have all the material blessings with which God blessed Solomon, but everything Solomon had, really came from God. So, like Solomon, we have been given so much by our heavenly Father, through Jesus, that the world cannot give, not the material gifts, the spiritual gifts. What we need to take to heart is, in the end, the spiritual blessings outweigh the material ones anyway because they will last forever. When we can extend that blessing of joy to another, as a gift, it is even better.
I’m not talking about always having a happy face on display and never letting another see the cracks and hurt within. Then you run the risk of appearing insincere and no one wants to be around that either. Sincere joy is contagious, accompanied by sensitivity to your audience. In the end, Solomon left all that wealth behind and his son, Rehoboam, pretty much lost it all in the next generation, but what we have in Christ, we have forever. No one can squander it or fritter it away now or when we are gone. That should send us off to worship today with a smile!
Prayer: Thank You Lord for saving my soul. Thank You Lord for making me whole. Thank You Lord for giving to me Your great salvation so rich and free! In Jesus’ name, amen.
Song: Simple Gifts
All the days of the oppressed are wretched. But the cheerful heart has a continual feast. ~Proverbs 15:15
A cheerful look brings joy to the heart, and good news gives health to the bones. ~Proverbs 15:30
A cheerful heart is good medicine. But a crushed spirit dries up the bones. ~Proverbs 17:22
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received, or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. ~Philippians 4:8-9
So just for fun, I have to throw in Solomon’s contrast, that he wrote, probably near the end of his life. “A good name is better than fine perfume, and the day of death better than the day of birth. It’s better to go to a house of mourning than to go to a house of feasting, for death is the destiny of every man. The living should take this to heart. Sorrow is better than laughter because a sad face is good for the heart. The heart of the wise is in the heart of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of pleasure. It is better to heed a wise man’s rebuke then to listen to the song of fools. Like the crackling of thorns under the pot, so is the laughter of fools. This too is meaningless.” (Ecclesiastes 7:1-6)
Oh, my goodness! What in the world happened to cheery, optimistic Solomon with all his words about cheer being good for us, good like a medicine? What happened was: Seven hundred wives, three hundred concubines, the power to do or get practically anything he wanted, riches beyond compare and wisdom beyond anyone else’s. He got what so many people want. But he learned: there is more joy in community, in the struggle, in companionship, and most importantly, in following God, than anything this world can offer.
I put this contrast in because so many people want what Solomon got. The lesson for them is the one that Solomon truly learned, all that stuff, all that power, all that wealth, and having a harem does not make one happy. The saddest thing is that, in obtaining all that he did materially, he lost having God at the center of his life spiritually, and that is probably what, in the end, made him most miserable of all.
Being content with the simple life that God blesses us with is where the best happiness can be found. Solomon knew that once, but he wasn’t content to stay there. He allowed the acquisition of more and more to rob him of the joy he once had, until he became a sullen figure whose only description of the gift of life that God had given him was, “meaningless.”
This is why Paul talks so much about the importance of being content in all situations. When we can see the good in what we have, and where we are, and not allow longing for something else to rob us of the possibility of present joy, we will be better for it. His prescription to think about good things, true things, lovely things, is probably his secret for staying content and hopeful in very difficult circumstances.
“All the days of the oppressed are wretched, but the cheerful heart has a continual feast.” Paul was certainly oppressed, but because he did not focus on his circumstances, but instead, focused on all the good, lovely and true things that he had in Christ, his heart had a continual feast. That is how the peace of Christ stayed with him.
Can we do the same? When you think about it, we have so much to be joyful about. We may not have all the material blessings with which God blessed Solomon, but everything Solomon had, really came from God. So, like Solomon, we have been given so much by our heavenly Father, through Jesus, that the world cannot give, not the material gifts, the spiritual gifts. What we need to take to heart is, in the end, the spiritual blessings outweigh the material ones anyway because they will last forever. When we can extend that blessing of joy to another, as a gift, it is even better.
I’m not talking about always having a happy face on display and never letting another see the cracks and hurt within. Then you run the risk of appearing insincere and no one wants to be around that either. Sincere joy is contagious, accompanied by sensitivity to your audience. In the end, Solomon left all that wealth behind and his son, Rehoboam, pretty much lost it all in the next generation, but what we have in Christ, we have forever. No one can squander it or fritter it away now or when we are gone. That should send us off to worship today with a smile!
Prayer: Thank You Lord for saving my soul. Thank You Lord for making me whole. Thank You Lord for giving to me Your great salvation so rich and free! In Jesus’ name, amen.
Song: Simple Gifts
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