Lent Day 4, Saturday, Feb 20, 2021

"Smile!"

How much is a smile worth? Right now, it’s probably worth more than ever. Between the pandemic and the polar freeze this past week, lots of people aren’t smiling. It’s a strange feeling and it’s not going away anytime soon. Smiles may not be common, but even if they were, they’d be covered up by our masks.

These masks have given some of us a perfect excuse to not smile. Yes, those of us who choose “Grumpy” as our favorite fairy tale character have been given the perfect opportunity to discount our facial expressions.

We are wrong! People can tell when we’re smiling behind the masks. Our eyes brighten and our facial muscles expand. Our demeanor changes and our welcoming presence is conveyed in our body language. The masks may cover our mouths but they don’t hide the joy of life that God has provided to all of us!

I’ve often wondered what Jesus’ demeanor may have been like. Was Jesus serious all the time? Did Jesus have a sense of humor and make people laugh? What was his facial expression when He healed the paralytic, cured a man’s blindness, or calmed the storm? I’m guessing that Jesus had a big smile on his face.

Jesus gave hope, joy, and life to those around Him. We might not be able to heal someone from disease or walk on water, but if we smile at those around us, we can change their day.

A smile makes all the difference! Before you leave home today, find your smile and put it on before you put on the mask. Then keep smiling and make a difference!

“This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it!” (Psalm 118:24, ESV)